Firefighters warn pupils of bonfire and fireworks dangers

Young people are being targeted in a hard hitting award-winning campaign to reduce the number of bonfire and firework related injuries across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.

Every year almost 1,000 children in the North of England are injured by fireworks, often resulting in permanent scarring or disfiguration. Now 28,000 pupils in secondary schools across Tyne and Wear are being warned about the dangers of bonfires and fireworks in a programme of educational visits by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. Whilst 9,000 pupils in first and middle schools in Northumberland are being targeted.

The school tours are part of the 'Bonfires and Fireworks Ruin Lives in a Flash' campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal bonfires and fireworks misuse and to reduce anti-social behaviour linked to bonfires and fireworks.

As part of the campaign to encourage young people to be more bonfire and firework safety conscious two competitions are being held. Split into two age groups, 10-12 years and 13-15 years, entrants are asked a series of firework and bonfire safety-related questions with correct entries going into a draw to win a notebook laptop computer.

There's also the opportunity to win an Apple iPod Nano for suggesting ideas about how they would tell their friends and family about the dangers of bonfire night. To be in with a chance of winning, the judges are looking for creativity, reasons why the idea would work, originality and whether the cost of the idea would be worthwhile.

Details of both competitions and entry forms are at www.ruinlivesinaflash.com.

Alongside talks and presentations, new tactics are being used to help spread safety messages to the young audiences. These include employing bluetooth technology to communicate information via mobile phone and using the world of social networking, with groups on websites Facebook and Bebo. People can use the sites to share messages and view campaign videos and images, and the Bebo group also has members with stories to tell of how they received some nasty injuries and scars that will last them a lifetime from bonfire and firework–related accidents.

127 young people outside of mainstream education have also been involved in learning about bonfire safety through a programme of sessions held at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service's interactive safety centre SafetyWorks.

The 'Bonfires and Fireworks Ruin Lives in a Flash' campaign, now its in second year, is focusing heavily on promoting its lifesaving messages to young people as Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Simpson explains: "Evidence shows that young people are the most likely to be injured in incidents involving fireworks and bonfires. We want to get the message across to this vulnerable group that fireworks and bonfires are very dangerous and can have devastating consequences. One way we're aiming to do this is by using the same social networking media and technology that young people are using with their friends everyday."

He continues: "We hope pupils will take this valuable firework safety advice to heart. We want youngsters to enjoy fireworks without harm to themselves or annoyance to others. Our best advice to them is to encourage your families to attend a professional organised display so everyone can have a trouble free Bonfire Night."

e continues: "We hope pupils will take this valuable firework safety advice to heart. We want youngsters to enjoy fireworks without harm to themselves or annoyance to others. Our best advice to them is to encourage your families to attend a professional organised display so everyone can have a trouble free Bonfire Night." Chief Inspector Bob Ryan of Northumbria Police said: "It is only natural that youngsters enjoy the bonfire period but is is important that they know about safety and the dangers of bonfires and fireworks. School visits are a very effective way of getting safety messages across because the things they learn will stay with them for life. "Young people learn in different ways and the use of bluetooth technology and the internet help to get the messages across. We hope everyone enjoys bonfire night but would like to urge people, especially youngsters, to take care, and remind them that misuse of bonfires and fireworks will not be tolerated and will be taken very seriously by the police." The website also has fireworks assembly plans and education packs available for teachers to download. Brian Hesler, Chief Fire Officer of Northumberland County Council's Fire and Rescue Service explains:"We want to encourage children to think about their safety on Bonfire Night and to make them aware of their responsibilities so that they don't break the law. It is really important that we get the message across to young people that fireworks and bonfires are very dangerous and can have devastating consequences. That's the message behind this year's 'Fireworks and bonfires ruin lives' campaign." The 'Bonfires and Fireworks Ruin Lives in a Flash' campaign is being led by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service and Northumbria Police, working in partnership with local authorities, the Ambulance Service and the NHS and the results of last year’s campaign, speak for themselves: Compared to 2006, between 1-6 November 2007 there was a: * 13% reduction in the number of calls to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service's Control Room * 29% reduction in the number of bonfires attended in Tyne and Wear * 7% fall in the number of anti-social behaviour fires attended by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and a 30% reduction by Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service. * 39% drop in attacks on firefighters in Tyne and Wear. * 80% drop in bonfire related injuries between 8 October - 12 November Keep safe this year by following the tips below: * Attend an organised display rather than having your own bonfire * Report illegal bonfires that are being built to your local authority * Call 999 to report any illegal bonfires that have been lit * Remember: alcohol and fireworks don’t mix * Always supervise children around fireworks * Never give sparklers to children under five * Keep pets indoors * Ensure you bring your wheelie bin in as soon as it is emptied – it is a target for arson if you don’t! More safety tips and details of organised displays are available on the campaign website, www.ruinlivesinaflash.com or why not join the Facebook or Bebo group at ruin lives in a flash.