03 November 2011
As November 5th draws closer, Caerphilly County Borough Council is reinforcing South Wales Fire and Rescue Service's (SWFRS) message, urging the public to celebrate this year's Bonfire Night in the safest way possible and attend an official, organised public firework display, which are much safer, more entertaining and much more cost effective than private displays.
Most injuries caused by fireworks are to children under the age of 16. Fire crews are stressing to youngsters that fireworks are mini-explosives dressed up in colourful packaging - they are not toys. They burn at high temperatures and can cause terrible injuries very quickly, including sparklers, which can reach 2,000°C - more than 15 times the boiling point of water. Rockets can reach 150 miles an hour and are the most common cause of firework injuries.
Message from Andy Marles, Chief Fire Officer at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service: "Every year, crews from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spend a great deal of time responding to calls caused by the misuse of fireworks, and it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured.
"We want people to celebrate this year's Bonfire Night in the safest way possible, and are encouraging them to attend organised public firework displays in their area, which are much safer, more entertaining and much more cost effective. However, we are also reminding those people who will continue to buy fireworks for private displays, to always rigorously follow the Fireworks Code and abide by the Fireworks Regulations."
A list of organised firework displays in Caerphilly county borough can be found on our Looking Local channel.
Find out more about firework safety on our Health Challenge website.
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