A leading paramedic has urged the North East public to stay safe this Bonfire Night weekend.
North East Ambulance Service have been working with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service on the Darker Nights campaign in the run-up to this weekend - always a busy one for emergency services due to the heightened risk of injuries and fires caused by fireworks.
The Darker Nights campaign - which began in October - has been warning people of the life-changing consequences of deliberate fires. Graphic images have shown a teenager made up with horrific injuries and these have been disseminated around Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
This comes after the two weeks around Bonfire Night 2021 saw an 84% increase in deliberate fires in public in TWFRS's area. Now, NEAS head of emergency preparedness, resilience and response has added another stark warning.
He said: "There are few more devastating medical emergencies than those caused by fire, and such injuries cause extreme pain, prolonged rehabilitation and often loss of previous mobility, as well as the potential for permanent scarring. This can often have long lasting psychological impacts for individuals. We want everyone to stay safe this season so they will hopefully not need services."
Earlier, as part of the campaign TWFRS' community safety manager Richie Rickaby said: “The consequences that some people may experience from setting a deliberate fire could be totally life-changing. They could receive or cause serious burns that will impact a person’s life forever."
In the last few weeks firefighters have also been speaking to children in schools in the region about fire safety - and people are encouraged to attend organised displays rather than having their own.
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