South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
  • In emergencies call 999
  • General enquiries 0114 272 7202

Emergency services make bonfire and firework safety plea

South Yorkshire’s police and fire services are urging people to be fire safe and 999 wise around Halloween and Bonfire Night this autumn.

This comes after the county’s firefighters saw an increase in call outs on Bonfire Night last year, compared to previous ‘Dark Night’ periods.

Crews were called to 96 incidents on Friday 5 November last year, compared to 80 on the same date in 2020 – an increase of 20 percent.

Many of these call outs involved bonfires that had grown out of control, and trees that had been set on fire by stray fireworks. Others involved cars and wheelie bins being set alight.

“We never aim to ruin anyone’s fun.”

“We always want people to enjoy Bonfire Night, and we never aim to ruin anyone’s fun, but it’s really important people are careful out there,” said Area Manager Matt Gillatt, head of the joint police and fire community safety department.

“This year we’re specifically asking people to stay with their bonfires, as leaving them unattended tends to end badly. We’re also asking people to ensure they are sensible in how they position their fireworks, so they are away from bushes and trees.

“Finally, we’d like to ask that people bring their bins in from off the street, and let us have any information on deliberate fire-setting that they may have.

“These details can be shared with us anonymously via our FireStoppers service – people just need to call 0800 169 5558 or visit firestoppersreport.co.uk.”

Since the start of October, police and fire staff have been doing joint patrols and visits to local schools and community centres, offering advice around Halloween and bonfire safety.

Meanwhile senior officers from South Yorkshire Police are also assuring local residents that they will be taking a no-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour this year.

“We are here for you if you need us.”

The force lead for what is known collectively as Operation Dark Nights, Chief Inspector Lee Carlson, said: “We want everybody to enjoy Halloween and Bonfire night; we know it can be an enjoyable time of the year for most people, but for some the festivities alongside the darker nights can make them feel vulnerable.

“We want you to know that whilst the majority of people will enjoy the period without any issues, the few people that do want to cause a problem will not be tolerated and our extra officers will be there to deal with them.

“Our Neighbourhood officers have already been in schools talking to young people about antisocial behaviour and the effect it can have on people living near them, as well as giving them guidance around keeping safe during dark nights.

“We hope you will all enjoy Halloween and Bonfire night and respect everybody around you. We will have officers out conducting extra patrols and we are here for you if you need us.”

The force is asking people to check who the right service is to contact about anti-social behaviour issues. Often things such as noise pollution are dealt with by local councils.

Anybody that needs the police or fire service in an emergency is still encouraged to call 999, and the police can be contacted on 101 around non-urgent issues.

You can find out more about what organisations are best to contact regards anti-social behaviour on the police’s website, here. 

Rotherham fire station to hold open day

Rotherham’s world famous firefighting TikTok stars are set give the public a chance to peek behind the scenes at the fire station where they work.

Firefighters on Rotherham blue watch have become famous around the globe after clocking up millions of views on the social network.

Now the firefighters behind the videos hope to give the public an insight into their important, lifesaving work by staging Rotherham fire station’s first open day in more than three years.

Watch Manager Adam Dilkes, said: “We’re really excited to be opening our doors and welcoming residents to take a closer look at what we do. The pandemic meant we had to temporarily put a halt to events like this, but we honestly cannot wait to show off our skills once more and meet some of the local people we serve with such pride.”

The open day will include a road traffic collision demonstration, a selection of fire service vehicles and the opportunity to soak a firefighter for charity.

Classic cars, taekwondo demonstrations, DJ, food stalls, birds of prey and vintage emergency vehicles will also be amongst the entertainment on offer.

Rotherham fire station open day on Fitzwilliam Road, Eastwood runs from 10am to 3pm on Saturday 29 October. Entry is free.

Fire station rebuild to be discussed by South Yorkshire’s fire authority members

A proposal to rebuild Elm Lane fire station is to be discussed by Fire Authority members.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue plans to replace the existing facility with a new building on the same site, in a construction project which could become a UK first.

The new ‘modular’ fire station would be constructed off-site in a move which could save both time and money.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Tony Carlin, said: “These plans form part of an ambitious programme to refurbish our property estate- giving our firefighters modern, safe and energy efficient fire stations in which to live and work. Modular construction methods have come on massively in recent years and we are excited to explore the potential for this new way of building fire stations to improve the efficiency of such projects.”

The current fire station on Elm Lane, Sheffield Lane Top was built in 1976, but is nearing the end of its operational life. Refurbishing the existing facility has been ruled out, due to the high cost of removing large amounts of suspected asbestos.

The project to rebuild the station will be discussed by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority members at their meeting on Monday (10 October).

The project is in the pre-planning phase, with any confirmed plans subject to the usual planning application process and consultation with local residents.

Law changes to carbon monoxide alarm provision

Many landlords across South Yorkshire are now required to fit carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in their properties, following a change in the law.

As of Saturday 1 October 2022, The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 require CO alarms to be installed in all rented accommodation and new build properties where there is a fixed combustion appliance. This excludes gas cookers.

Both private and social sector landlords will be required to provide the alarms, and they will have a duty to repair or replace faulty alarms upon being informed of any issues.

These regulations apply specifically to homes in England, which has followed in the footsteps of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in mandating the installation of CO detectors.

Where landlords do not comply with the requirements, Local Authorities have the power to issue penalty notices and fines of up to £5,000.

“As a fire service we have seen a number of examples where people have tragically died of carbon monoxide poisoning, and we absolutely welcome these new regulations,” said Area Manager Matt Gillatt, head of South Yorkshire’s joint police and fire community safety department.

“The cost of a new carbon monoxide alarm for landlords is considerably less than the potential fine, but we hope that landlords opt to install detectors because it’s the right thing to do, not just because of the potential financial penalty.”

Carbon monoxide alarms alert households to dangerous levels of exposure to what is known as the silent killer.

The poisonous gas forms when carbon-based fuels are burnt. Examples within a typical home include fires, stoves and gas appliances (such as boilers).

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headaches, dizziness, feeling sick, being sick, feeling weak or having chest and muscle pain. Excessive amounts of the gas can come from appliances that aren’t installed properly, are faulty or poorly maintained.

Using disposable BBQs or camping stoves inside houses (or tents), or turning lawnmowers or cars on inside a garage, can also cause a build-up of carbon monoxide.

Anyone who is suffering from the symptoms listed above should contact NHS on 111.

Anyone who thinks their gas appliance is leaking excessive carbon monoxide should contact the National Gas Helpline on 0800 111 999.