Firefighters in Northern Ireland respond to 277 Halloween calls

It has been confirmed today that the fire service in Northern Ireland responded to 277 emergency calls on the 31st of October this year, which is slightly up on last Halloween.

However, despite the rise in figures, there were actually fewer call-outs for the fire service to deal with than the average for Halloween in recent years.

Most of the calls across Northern Ireland involved bonfires, rubbish and gorse fires, with a call every 90 seconds at the peak period.

A fire service spokesman said that firefighters were able to carry out their duties effectively this year with hardly any disturbances to report.

Fire service area commander Dale Ashford explained how there had been a concerted effort towards planning for this time of year when fire safety is of paramount importance.

He said:

“We put an awful amount of effort into getting that safety message out there.

“Our crews and our districts and areas spend a lot of time engaging with the community and explaining the safety message and asking them to try and have fun in a safe way.

“Hopefully, it is the case that the message is getting across.”

While fire safety is important all year round, when fireworks and bonfires are involved the fire risk increases. This is why it is necessary to ensure you homes and businesses are protected from fire.