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Firefighters have teamed up with native authorities throughout the area to induce residents to safe their wheelie bins – after practically 2,000 have been set on fireplace in two years.
Over the darker nights when autumn meets winter, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) are asking residents to take additional precautions to maintain their group secure.
Last a marketing campaign was launched asking for the help of the general public in educating young individuals concerning the penalties of beginning bonfires and setting off fireworks.
Now the Service has requested residents to take additional steps to safe their wheelie bins, after a spike in incidents of them being set alight in anti-social behaviour.
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This concern is one thing not solely being recognised as an issue by the fireplace service but in addition by Local Councils and Housing Associations throughout Tyne and Wear.
The latest figures present the variety of wheelie bin fires attended between October 2021 and September 2023 whole 1,750. 122 of these have been in South Tyneside.
1 / 4 of these figures have been posted within the months of October and November – the busiest time of the 12 months for the fireplace service over the Bonfire interval.
Station Manager Jonathan Ramanayake, from TWFRS’s Prevention and Education group, has now requested for the general public help.
He mentioned: “We don’t set out to spoil the party for anyone as we love to see people having fun with their friends and family.
“But we do want to ensure that people are staying safe and steering clear of danger, where a fire could potentially occur or where someone’s life could be put at risk.
“Wheelie bins are present at every household across the region, and even one fire involving them is one too many.
“We would always urge people to bring in their bins after they’ve been emptied and keep them in a safe place out of the reach of temptation.
“The people who are fire setting aren’t only jeopardising the lives of others but they could also be putting their own life at risk, as the bins are highly flammable and let off poisonous fumes that could prove fatal if inhaled
“Also, if we are answering a call relating to a deliberate fire, then that is taking a crew away from dealing with a potentially life-saving incident.
“If members of the public has any information to provide about the people causing the incidents in their local community then they can report the details anonymously through Firestoppers.”
Councillor Jim Foreman, Lead Member for Housing and Community Safety at South Tyneside Council, added: “Wheelie bins can become an easy target for arsonists, particularly in the run up to and around Bonfire Night.
“These fires are dangerous and irresponsible and add pressure to our fire services.
“We want Bonfire Night to be as safe and enjoyable as possible for everyone. We’d ask residents to minimise the risk of their bins being set alight by only putting them out on the allocated collection day and bringing it back in straight away.”
If frightened residents are conscious of any anti-social behaviour-related incidents, they need to name 999 within the occasion of an emergency and they’re going to obtain a response from the Fire Service.
