Follow the safety instructions provided with disposable barbecues;
Make sure your barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees etc;
Keep children and pets away from the cooking area;
Use only approved lighter fuels – never petrol or paraffin – and use only on cold coals;
Keep a bucket of water, sand, or a garden hose nearby, for emergencies;
Don’t cook if you’ve been drinking or taking medication;
After cooking, make sure the barbecue is fully extinguished and cold before disposing of the contents;
Don’t empty hot ashes into dustbins or wheelie bins – they can melt the plastic and start a fire.
Countryside
Always extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly;
Never throw lit cigarette ends out of car windows – they can destroy whole fields of crops;
Avoid open fires in the countryside. Only use barbecues in safe, designated areas and never leave them unattended;
Don’t leave bottles or glass lying around – sunlight shining through glass can start a fire;
If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately by calling 999.
Camping and Caravanning
Always site tents and caravans at least six metres apart and away from parked cars;
Don’t smoke or use candles inside tents;
Never bring any type of barbecue (i.e. disposable or reusable) into your tent or caravan. Even when the flames aren’t visible, they can still give off carbon monoxide (CO) fumes for some time, which can be deadly;
Fit and maintain a smoke alarm and a CO alarm in your caravan;
Keep flammable liquids (e.g. petrol and gas cylinders) outside in a secure location and away from children.
Festivals
Pay particular attention to the fire safety guidance provided by the festival organiser;
If in any doubt, ask the on-site staff.
Deep water:
Avoid bridge and ledge jumping at all times, often referred to as ‘tombstoning’, as this can cause potentially fatal cold water shock, even on the warmest day.
Do not be tempted to swim in open water such as rivers, lakes, canals or quarries. You have no idea what is beneath the surface and unseen currents or reeds could pull you under.
If you do wish to take part in open water swimming, know the difference between designated and non-designated bathing waters and follow the Swim Healthy guidance from Public Health England and Environment Agency and do so as part of a group or an organised event. Avoid swimming alone.
At the beach, choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags.
If you find yourself in trouble in the water, float to live. Do not panic, float on your back until the effects of cold water shock pass. When the cold water shock has passed, you can then swim to the edge or call for help.
If someone else falls into the water, call 999 straight away and ask to speak to the Fire and Rescue Service if inland and the Coastguard if at the Coast.
The Water Safety Code is designed to provide simple and easy information to people so they can understand what they should do in an emergency:
Stop and think: take time to assess your surroundings. Look for the dangers and always research local signs and advice.
Stay together: when around water, always go with friends or family. Swim at a lifeguarded venue.
In an emergency, call 999: if you discover someone in trouble in the water, ask for the Fire and Rescue Service inland and the Coastguard if at the coast. Do not enter the water to rescue.
In an emergency, float: if you are in trouble in the water, stay calm and float on your back until you can call for help.
