Oban fire service has summer safety guide

AS PEOPLE prepare to head off on their holidays, Oban community fire station is asking that they read its summer safety guide beforehand.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is asking that you ‘switch off before you set off’ if you are leaving your house for an extended period of time.

Electrical appliances such as televisions, hair straighteners and computers are more likely to cause a fire if they are accidentally left on for long periods of time – for example, when people go on holiday for a week or two.

‘Here in Scotland,’ the guide reads, ‘ we boast some of the most stunning scenery in the UK. We’d really appreciate your help to keep it that way.’

Never throw a lit cigar or cigarette away in a rural environment.

Dispose of glass or bottles in the bin and not out in the open, as glass can magnify the sun and cause fires.

Ensure recreational fires are made in a fire safe pit or con- tainer and that they are properly extinguished.

A fire in a caravan or mobile home spreads much more quickly than it would in a house or flat, and therefore they should be fitted with a smoke alarm.

Caravans and tents should be at least six-metres apart and well away from parked cars.

Tents can be ‘gone in 60 seconds’, so don’t light fires near them, cook well back from them, and make sure any campfires are out before you go to sleep.

It’s also important to know the risks associated with carbon monoxide if you are planning to go camping this summer.

The early signs of CO poisoning include tiredness, drowsiness, dizziness, chest pains or nausea.

Never take a portable barbecue or lit charcoal into an enclosed space such as a tent or caravan, even if they are cooling down, as the fumes can be lethal.

To find out more, visit http:// www. f i rescot land. gov. uk/ your-safety/safer-summer.aspx.