A massive rise in fires that have been deliberately lit over the course of the Easter holidays has resulted in a plea being made to parents and guardians by the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. East Staffordshire witnessed an increase of a staggering 278 percent in relation to bin, grass and rubbish fires lit over the 2016 Easter break, in comparison to the same time period in 2015.
Crews were called to no less than 25 incidents in the east of the county, and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service want to make sure that their fire safety messages are being reinforced, particularly to teenagers and children. To that end the fire service is asking parents as well as the general community to help get their message out before the summer holidays arrive, and warn youngsters that setting fires also puts other people in danger.
Rebecca Gill, the service’s fire prevention manager who often advises on fire safety procedures, says that the service is very concerned about the major increase in the incidences of fires that have been deliberately lit, particularly given that they all took place over a short period of time.
Gill went on to say that the consequences of such anti-social behaviour can be severe for the culprits, resulting in fines and possibly even custodial sentences, and restricting career opportunities in the future. Gill added that youngsters often regard setting fires as just having a ‘good time’, but that they would not be laughing at the repercussions if caught. At Source Fire, we regard basic fire safety awareness as essential; contact us if you’re interested in training schemes.