Firefighters are urging their public to take care over the festive period as new figures show that more house fires happen during the Christmas period than at any other time of year.

The average amount of domestic fires attended by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue during the Christmas period (24th December until 31 December) is higher than the average amount of incidents in the same period in every other month of the year.

In response, a new campaign has been launched with a video which lightly parodies the advert of a well-known cola brand and also features a specially recorded song by a group of singers from Vivacity Choir, a community choir based in Hillsborough, Sheffield.

Chris Tyler, Group Manager in the service’s community safety team said: “We want Christmas to be the most wonderful time of the year for everyone in South Yorkshire.

“That’s why we’re urging people to check their homes ahead of the holidays. At a time when we enjoy spending time with friends and family, you don’t want fire to be an uninvited guest.

“As part of your festive preparations, make sure you’ve got smoke alarms in your home and test them.

“Ensure you keep Christmas trees away from heat sources. If they’re real, keep them well watered and if they’re artificial check that that they are made with fire retardant materials.

“Be careful not to overload sockets with Christmas lights and always turn them off when they’re not in use.

“Many house fires start in the kitchen so make sure that you’re keeping an eye on your turkey at all times.

“Why not do an online home safety check for your own home or for a loved one today.”

More Christmas Safety advice from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Firefighters are calling on families to check in on their loved ones as part of a new fire safety campaign.

The campaign, Be There For Them, launches with the publication of an animated video created by renowned animator and illustrator, Gary Andrews, whose portfolio includes working on hit children’s programmes such as Horrid Henry.

The heartfelt film focuses on a man reflecting on his life and relationship with his mum before it ends in tragic circumstances.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage families and caregivers to take basic steps to keep their older loved ones safe from fire – whether this be by making sure they have smoke alarms fitted and tested regularly or by carrying out an online home safety check with them on the Service’s website.

It’s in response to the latest fire statistics that show the those over 60 and living on their own are one of the groups most at risk of a serious house fire.

Chris Tyler, Group Manager in South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s Community Safety team, said: “This deeply moving film highlights the importance of staying connected with our older relatives, especially in our busy lives.

“One life lost in a house fire is too many – that’s why we’re proud to be launching the campaign today to encourage our communities to look out for their older relatives and help keep them safe from fire.

“A really simple way you can do this is to carry out a free online home safety check with your family through our website.”

At the end of this check, you will be provided with safety advice relevant to you. Then, if you are eligible for a visit, you will be asked to submit your contact details and we will then contact you to arrange an in-person visit.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue is backing this year’s Be Water Aware campaign by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), by urging people not to enter its reservoirs.

Running from 22nd – 28th April, the campaign, which is also backed by Yorkshire Water, aims to raise awareness about the risk of accidental drowning and encourage considerate behaviour around bodies of water.

The latest figures indicate there were 226 accidental drowning deaths in 2022 across the UK with six taking place in Yorkshire (three in West Yorkshire, two in South Yorkshire, and one in North Yorkshire). 60% of all accidental drownings in the UK occurred inland, at reservoirs, lakes and river.

The NFCC campaign outlines that many people underestimate the risk of entering the water: Yorkshire Water see people entering its 130 reservoirs daily, despite warnings about the danger that reservoirs can pose.

With the effects of cold-water shock and unseen hazards like operating machinery and hidden undercurrents, even the strongest swimmers can get into difficulties.

Ade Parkin, Group Manager in South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s Community Safety Department, said: “Open water can be incredibly dangerous if it is not treated with respect. Attending water rescue incidents can be incredibly traumatic for our crews and members of the public.

“It can be tempting to cool off but do you really want it to be the last thing you do?”

Alastair Harvey, lead countryside and woodland advisor at Yorkshire Water, said: “With the summer approaching, we’re expecting to see an increase in numbers of people wanting to swim. We know how dangerous it can be to enter open bodies of water, like our reservoirs, and would urge everyone to take note of warnings at our sites.”

Out of all 2022 accidental drownings, 40% of people had no intention of ever entering the water – slips, trips and falls were commonly the cause of these incidents.

“Water safety goes beyond choosing not to swim or paddle to cool off – it’s also about remaining vigilant around the water, particularly if you are looking after children. We are once again backing the NFCC campaign to raise awareness of water safety behaviours and measures.”

“If people see others in difficulty in the water, they should contact the emergency services on 999 as they are trained to deal with such events.”

Get more water safety advice

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue is calling out to all young artists to design a spooky or scary poster about being fire safe in the kitchen.

The competition is the first part of our “Kitchen Nightmares” campaign that will be running throughout the autumn. Children aged between 6-12 are invited to take part.

Our advice to help you avoid a kitchen nightmare is:

• Keep electrical leads, cardboard and fabrics well away from the hob and keep ovens, hobs and grills clean from grease and crumbs
• Keep an eye on cooking at all times and never leave it unattended
• Switch off cooking appliances when you’ve finished cooking and gone to bed

Drop off your work at our Command Headquarters in Sheffield or you can post them to us!

Please ensure you have written your name, the name of your parent or guardian and their best contact number on the back of the submission. This is so we can get in touch with the winner and arrange for you to collect your prize.

Artwork can be accepted on paper, canvas or thin card and should be unframed. If you want to mount your work (card surround/frame) this will be accepted.

Looking for inspiration? Here’s our safety advice to help get you thinking

FAQs

What work can I submit?

• Your work can be mixed media, drawing, painting
• You might have created this work on your own or together at school or with friends.
• Artwork can be accepted on paper, canvas or thin card and should be unframed. If you want to mount your work (card surround/frame) this will be accepted.
• Maximum size A2.
• One artwork per person.
• Collaborative pieces from school/community groups are welcome.

How do I enter my artwork?

Enter by Wednesday October 25 by dropping off your entry at the reception at our CHQ building or post your artwork to: Corporate Communications, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, 197 Eyre Street, Sheffield S1 3FG

Please ensure you have written your name, the name of your parent or guardian and their best contact number on the back of the submission. This is so we can get in touch with the winner and arrange for you to collect your prize.

You could wrap your entry in bubble wrap, put it in an envelope and place it between two bits of card.

Whatever you decide ensure it protects your work.

If submitting a collaborative piece please remember to list of all the artists’ names so we can display them correctly.

What happens next?

All entries will be exhibited in the Winter Gardens between Friday 27 October and Thursday 2 November and the winner will receive a Lego Fire Station set.

Come down and see your artwork, bring your friends and family. The Winter Garden is open 8am-8pm (10-5pm Sundays).

How do I get my artwork back?

• Return in a stamped self-addressed envelope I have included (I have included a stamp that covers the weight of the artwork).
• Collect from our Command Headquarters building, 197 Eyre Street, Sheffield between Friday 3 November and Friday 10 November 8.30am – 4pm.

Please note: any work not collected by 4pm on Friday 10 November will be recycled.

Contact Us

Contact press@syfire.gov.uk if you have any questions or queries about the competition.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue will be offering small and medium sized businesses a range of advice during the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC’s) Business Safety Week, which runs from 11th – 17th September.

The week aims to help businesses understand their fire safety responsibilities so they remain safe, legal, and compliant. Many fires in the workplace are preventable and some businesses never recover after a fire. Helping businesses to manage their fire risks and hazards, and potentially to save lives and safeguard their businesses against financial and commercial loss is of key importance.

Simple measures to reduce risks of a fire starting and ensuring staff know how to respond in the right way can help to keep people safe and makes business sense. At this time of year many businesses will be preparing for the Christmas period and may also be impacted by the cost of living crisis. It’s important that businesses consider the risk of fire in any changes they make and ensure all staff are aware of fire safety in the workplace.

From 1st October new fire safety legislation comes into effect in England and Wales. This will mean that many businesses and building owners need to check if and how this affects them to ensure they are complying with the regulations. The main changes are:

• All businesses will need to record a fire risk assessment and fire safety arrangements in full – regardless of the number of employees, and size or type of business.
• There are increased requirements for cooperation and coordination between Responsible Persons in multi occupied buildings or those where the occupier and owner are not the same person.
• In residential buildings with two or more domestic premises residents must be provided with information on the risks from fire and the fire safety measures provided to keep them safe.

The campaign week will highlight these changes and highlight the advice that name of FRS can provide to ensure they remain complaint with the law.

There’s plenty of advice and support for businesses from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service so we encourage anyone that has questions or may not be sure about fire safety to contact us so we can help.

Gavin Tomlinson, NFCC’s Protection and Business Safety Committee Chair, said: “Fire and rescue services are committed to helping all types of businesses reduce the risk of fire in the workplace and be compliant with fire safety law. We don’t expect businesses to be experts that’s’ why we are here to provide help and advice. We encourage any business to work with their fire service to help prevent fires to help them remain productive, safe and legal.”