Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is urging festival goers to be aware of the safety advice before attending Reading Festival this bank holiday weekend.
We want to ensure that all festival goers have a great time. There are simple steps that can be taken to make sure you stay safe:
- Never take a barbecue into a tent. It gives off an invisible, odourless, potentially lethal carbon monoxide gas which could kill you. Even when the flames aren’t visible, the barbecue will produce very large amounts of carbon monoxide, which can be deadly
- Don’t use candles in or near a tent – use a torch instead
- Don’t smoke inside a tent
- Don’t leave glass bottles lying around the camping area – sunlight shining through glass can start a fire
- Cook outside, a safe distance away from your tent or any other flammable materials
- If you are planning on having a barbecue, use only approved lighter fluids and only ever on cold coals
- Put it out, right out! Make sure your cigarette is properly extinguished
- Have an escape plan and be prepared to cut your way out of your tent if there is a fire
- Make sure you know what the fire arrangements are at the festival
Steve Beard, Station Manager for Prevention at RBFRS, said: “While you’re at a festival, having fun with friends, your safety has to remain a top priority. During the festival, don’t be tempted to take a barbecue into a tent. It can have tragic consequences, as it gives off carbon monoxide which is often referred to as the ‘silent killer’, as you can’t see it, smell it or taste it but its effects can be fatal.
“During the festival, if you smoke, please ensure that your cigarette is properly extinguished. It is easy to carelessly discard a cigarette but the effects can be devastating. A lit cigarette can very easily spark a fire when it comes into contact with, dry grass or grass stubble.”