18/09/2016
Information for presenter
This presentation focuses on the safety issues that primary aged children 7-11
are MOST likely to face around Bonfire night (and other celebration using
fireworks).
These notes to help you deliver this presentation are designed using simpler
language. Be careful when using jargon and explain the meaning of words
that the children might not know.
Children of this age are still mostly supervised by parents or responsible adult
so key messages:
• Adults ONLY in charge of fireworks
• Keeping children and pets safe
• Being safe using Sparklers
• Bonfire safety
• Taking care when playing out – older children, arson, playing with
fireworks/aerosols
This presentation should take approximately 10-20 minutes to complete
depending on time allocated by the school.
If you have a longer slot, read out the main points and use the information
below as a guide for discussion rather than just reading it out.
If you have less time, then just introduce the topic and then show the film.
Please note: the presentation will open in slide show view and the film will
automatically start. Please give time for it to load fully – it may help to run
the presentation on the computer you will be using beforehand.
1
As a child what should you do?
• Always let an adult handle the fireworks- never touch them.
Children of your age should NEVER buy, carry or set off fireworks. It’s the law. We’ll talk
about the law and fireworks later in this presentation.
Fireworks should be set off by an responsible adult who has not been drinking alcohol.
It is important that they read all the instructions. Drinking alcohol can make a person
careless. They might hurt themselves or other people nearby.
If you are having a firework display at home, you need to have enough space. Some
fireworks are only used at public displays because they are more powerful, travel
further, injure people who are too close. Imagine how small your garden is compared
to the park where the public display is held.
Only buy fireworks from a registered seller or supplier - not all shops are allowed to sell
them. Check they are for personal use (in your garden). Buying fireworks in the street,
a shop, internet or from someone who should not be selling them is dangerous. They
may not come with instructions, could be fake and may not have had safety tests.
They could contain the wrong amounts of explosives and could cause very serious
injuries.
• Never EVER go back to a lit firework
Even if it has not gone off properly, it might still explode. An adult should follow the
instructions on the packet, usually it should be left overnight to cool down.
• Never throw fireworks
An adult should follow the instructions to set them off. Never put used or unused
fireworks on a bonfire.
A rocket can reach speeds of 150mph. More than twice the motorway speed limit. A
human being can’t run that fast – not even Usain Bolt, he only runs about 23mph!
2
Ask for suggestions from the children. The next slide gives more details
on sparkler safety so move onto that to discuss their answers.
Some of the responses they may give (prompt if necessary)
• Not wearing gloves
• Lighting or holding more than one sparkler
• Unsupervised children?
• Sparklers are not allowed at many public firework displays
3
Sparklers
• Remember only hold one at a time as they can get too hot!
Burning more than one sparkler in a bundle can cause ‘flare up’ . Instead of
burning down slowly, a large flame spreads very quickly down the sparklers
and can cause severe burns to hands, arms and face.
• Always wear gloves, you don’t want to burn yourself.
The sparks from a sparkler are very hot. Wearing long sleeves and gloves can
protect you more. Sparks can hurt any part of you that is not covered up like
your face. Be very careful - hold them away from you.
Remember: if a spark sets your clothes on fire: Stop, drop and roll!
Stop – to prevent the fire getting bigger
Drop to the floor so the flames don’t reach your face.
Roll over and over to smother (squash) the flames out and keep oxygen (air)
from making the fire grow.
• Let an adult light them for you.
They should use a match or lighter and light one sparkler at a time. Remember
‘flare up’
Put used sparklers in water or sand afterwards to cool down. Sparklers burn at
about 2000 degrees Celsius. That is 20 times hotter than boiling water. The
metal stays hot for a long time.
Think about who or what might touch them if they are left on the ground – think
about other children, pets and wild animals. Or if you put them in a bin or on
another surface, they could be hot enough to start a fire.
4
At home…
• Keep your pets inside
They could get frightened by the noise. Pets don’t always look
frightened. Pets can run away including onto busy roads or get lost
and not find their way home.
Don’t walk your dog or take it to a firework display. Think about
walking your dog in the day when there are no firework displays.
• Warn your neighbours
If you are having fireworks at home so they can look after their pets.
They may also have things in their garden – tables and chairs,
trampolines that could get damaged by fireworks and burning items
from the fire blown next door in the smoke
• Close doors and windows
To stop smoke and burning items blown from the fire getting into the
house and could start a fire or make the house smell of smoke. It is
difficult to get rid of the smell from clothes, bedding, furniture and toys.
Smoke from the bonfire and fireworks might activate your smoke
alarm.
5
What material is on the two bonfires? Ask the children to tell you what they
can see and what else might be out of sight.
Good: wood, paper, cardboard
Bad: plastic, metal, aerosol cans, soft furnishing like sofa cushions, tyres,
paints
Very Bad - animals! Talk about risks to animals who may have sheltered in
the bonfire. Not just wild animals – it could be your cat!
Explain:
These photos were taken at 3pm in the afternoon. At 3pm, the Fire Service
removed plastic, aerosols cans and other dangerous material. More things
were added and the bonfires were double the height by 7pm.
After the Fire Service left, a van came and dumped asbestos sheets on the
bonfire – asbestos is a dangerous material that can cause people to be very
ill if they breathe in the dust from it.
The Police and Fire Fighters had to warn people living nearby to close their
windows and doors as when the fire burnt, the asbestos dust got into the
smoke.
It is on a public park – no fires without permission. This is ARSON.
No cordon (fence) to keep people away. Someone could get too close
and get burnt – remember Stop, Drop and Roll.
6
Olivia’s story– 3m 46s - Watch the video. Could this be you?
Read the guidance notes from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
Key Messages:
Dangers of bonfires
Dangers of aerosol canisters
Organised displays are safer
Use 999 only in an emergency – hoax calls carry severe penalties
Mischief night Anti-Social Behaviour is not allowed and is not accepted
Don’t risk injury or even death – stay safe
What could Danny and his friends have done to keep safe?
How can you keep safe when out with your friends. Especially during winter
months when it is dark outside.
Think about staying away from parks and other secluded (out of the way)
places after dark.
Safe places to go include youth clubs and leisure centres, stay at home or
go to a friend’s house.
Keep away from people lighting fires or bonfires and playing with fireworks or
aerosols. This is ARSON. ARSON is a crime.
Report to the Police (999 as it is an emergency – a crime is being
committed) or tell an adult.
How would this affect your family, friends, neighbours, community?
7
• Are under 18 and you buy fireworks or possess them in a public place
Remind the children that at their age, they should NEVER buy, carry or
set off fireworks.
• You let off fireworks between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
If your family are having a firework display at home, it must finish it by
11pm
• Throw fireworks or any other objects in the street at people or at
property.
No one even adults should be throwing fireworks.
• Trespass on or cause damage to other people’s property
Having a bonfire or setting off fireworks in someone’s garden, field, land
without permission is trespassing. Setting a fire is arson.
This is what the law says. What are the consequences of breaking the
law and getting caught?
Remind/Ask the children about the fact that they can be arrested at the
age of 10 and could face a number of consequences if found guilty,
e.g. criminal record, affects what job you can do, not allowed to travel
to other countries such as USA or Australia
8
Presenter: If possible research local public displays that you can
recommend rather than having a display at home.
Organised displays are safer
Better and more fireworks
Other fun activities at a firework display.
No clearing up or damage to your garden.
9