Fire service urges residents to stay safe as hot summer continues

08/08/2022

With crews experiencing their busiest ever month and facing record breaking temperatures, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging residents to stay fire safe while the summer weather continues.

Having faced unprecedented demand during July, attending more than 1,000 incidents and seeing thermometers hit 40 degrees, fire crews and call handlers have been pushed to the limit. Many of the fires involved farmland and, due to the dry and hot conditions, spread extremely quickly. This meant several fire engines were required to attend, to ensure there were enough people to put the fire out and maintain a consistent water supply.

Group Commander Rob Olivier, the Service’s head of community fire safety, said: "The last month has been a very tough one for us. The hot weather always presents us with challenges, especially when there is little or no rain. This makes the perfect conditions for a fire to spread rapidly.

"Fires involving farmland challenge our crews as the water supply is often an issue, so we will often need to call on several fire engines to try and have enough water available across the land area to prevent it from spreading. Not only this, but the physical demands on our crews are immense, especially with the heavy PPE they wear.

"It’s very easy for a fire like this to start. Something small like not fully stubbing out a cigarette, or sunlight reflecting from discarded broken glass can start a fire. However, some fires are started maliciously, which not only destroys land and property but can also lead to serious injury. We saw this a few weekends ago with a large fire involving farmland in East Cambridgeshire. At its height we needed 14 fire engines and more than 50 firefighters to extinguish the fire, but not before it had spread to land across Haddenham and Witchford. This fire was believed to have been started deliberately.

"We urge everyone to keep fire safety in their minds while enjoying the hot weather. Simple things like avoiding having a bonfire for garden waste and using recycling centres. Also think about alternatives to a BBQ, especially if it’s windy, as the flames can easily spread to garden furniture and fencing."

Also, when the temperatures remain high for long periods like this, it can be tempting to enjoy one of the county’s open water spaces to swim or other water sports. This can be done safely but we urge people to take extra care.

Group Commander Olivier added: "Swimming in open water can be very dangerous. We’ve seen this recently with a tragic incident in Peterborough where a man sadly lost his life in a tragic accident near the Embankment. Our crews worked really hard to rescue him and tried to revive him, but were unable to.

"It’s really important to remember that open water can be deeper than expected, with unseen hazards below the surface. Things like rubbish, shopping trolleys and rubble can be hidden beneath the murky water that can easily trap someone. Also, even if the weather is warm, the water can be much cooler than expected, which could cause the body to go into shock. The water may also look calm on the surface, but there may still be strong undercurrents, especially near locks, that could pull even the strongest swimmer under.

"Those still wanting to swim in open water should remember if they do get into difficulty, they should Float to Live by leaning back, using their arms and legs to stay afloat and controlling their breathing. Once calm either call for help or try and swim to safety. In an emergency call 999 or 112 for the coastguard. This is where it’s important to try and go with someone, so they can try and assist or call for help. If you see someone else in trouble near water, call for help immediately. Never try and carry out a rescue yourself, you could put yourself in danger too.

"A really useful thing to help our call handlers and crews pinpoint your location is giving us a what3words reference. This is easy to do by downloading the app before heading out and making a note of where you’re swimming. The app is free and available to download on any mobile device.

"We’ve all been enjoying the warm weather and we want to ensure everyone continues to do so while it’s with us. By taking a bit of care and following our simple tips we can all try and stay safe and enjoy the summer."