Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade report

Fire chief: If you are lighting fireworks this Guy Fawkes, please take simple precautions to keep everyone safe.

Emergency calls to October 28: 251

We have had 10 calls in the past fortnight.

Among them were five false alarms and three medical calls to assist St John which were sadly all fatal.

There were two fires – a tree in Jubilee Park and a small sleepout fire on Pah Rd that was endangering the adjacent house. Fortunately, we were able to prevent it from spreading to the house.

If you are lighting fireworks this Guy Fawkes, please take simple precautions to keep everyone safe. Fireworks can make a fun celebration, but they can also be dangerous and need to be used responsibly.

Make sure you have a safe set-up when lighting your fireworks. Light them in a wide-open space, away from anything that could catch fire and have a bucket of water or hose nearby. Ensure your fireworks are pointed at the sky and not at people, pets or anyone’s home.

Let your neighbours know if you are planning to set off fireworks and keep your pets inside. Lastly, dispose of your fireworks safely and soak them in water before you throw them out.

There are several public fireworks displays in our area, we encourage you to head along to them rather than light your own.

For more fireworks safety tips, and to check if the conditions are alright to light them, go here.

Check out the brigade Facebook page.

Dale Lindsay

Chief Fire Officer