Posted: Sat 26th Oct 2024

Firefighters urging parents to protect their children from flammable fancy dress costumes

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales

With Halloween fast approaching firefighters are urging parents to protect their children from flammable fancy dress costumes.

Earlier this week the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) revealed that tests on 128 costumes aimed at under seven years olds found that more than 80 per cent failed basic safety tests, including those for flammability and strangulation from cords.

Costumes were purchased from a range of online marketplaces and tested against the Safety of Toys Regulations 2011. All those which failed have since been removed from sale by the platforms.

Head and neck drawstrings or cords can also strangle or entrap children so always check for long cords or other strangulation hazards.

Ahead of the Halloween celebrations North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are urging parents and guardians to protect their children from flammable costumes.

The following advice has been issued Paul Kay, head of fire safety for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, to help reduce the risk over Halloween.

  • Check the labels on any fancy dress outfits you buy and see what fire resistance they offer.
  • Plastic capes and bin liners are often used as costumes – keep them away from sparkles, candles or other naked flames.
  • Use battery operated lights within homemade lanterns and pumpkins. These are much safer than candles and are cheap to buy.
  • Take extra care with candles – they are extremely hazardous. If the candle tips over it could set light to materials such as costumes, curtains, clothes and furniture and start a serious fire.
  • If a costume you are wearing does catch fire the advice is to ‘stop, drop and roll’, making it harder for the flames to spread.
  • If you are with someone whose clothes have caught fire, get them to stop, drop and roll, then smother the flame with heavy material like a coat or blanket.
  • In an emergency cool any burns with large amounts of water and get urgent medical assistance.

Paul Kay, Head of Fire Safety for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We want people to enjoy celebrating Halloween, but to make sure that they are aware of the potential dangers that can be faced if their costume catches fire.

“The popularity of Halloween fancy dress costumes for children has grown enormously in recent years and we issue this advice to warn people so that they can enjoy themselves while staying safe.”

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