Celebrating Culture Safely

Key Contacts In an emergency always call 999

Councillors involved in the Cultural Celebrations Working Group

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Cllr Gregg McKeen Cllr Danny Donnelly Cllr Tom Gordon Cllr Timothy Gaston Cllr Andrew Wilson

Safer, cleaner and respectful cultural celebrations.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will engage with local communities to develop relationships and assist in safer bonfire management. Our Environmental Services and Good Relations teams can provide information to local groups to ensure a safer, cleaner celebration.

We would encourage those involved in these events, and the wider public, to report any instances where potentially hazardous materials are found at sites by contacting your local Council offices.

Ballymena Office: 028 2563 3394 Carrickfergus Office: 028 9335 8346 Larne Office: 028 2826 2498 PSNI The PSNI is committed to working with the community in Mid and East Antrim to keep everyone safe. Our role includes law enforcement, preventing and detecting crime and supporting other statutory agencies.

Local officers continue to build and develop relationships within the community to ensure positive cultural celebrations.

Ballymena: Inspector Rory Bradley: 07557 261877 Carrickfergus and Larne: Inspector Ciara Mullan: 079175 86430 Good Relations Manager Bebhinn McKinley: 028 2563 3525 or 07753 859712 PCSP (Policing and Community Safety Partnership) Manager Wendy Carson: 028 2826 2459

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) NIFRS has a statutory duty to protect life and property from the dangers of fire, including bonfires. Public and Firefighter safety at bonfires is our top priority. NIFRS works closely with local communities, statutory agencies and elected representatives to help minimise the impact of bonfires on communities, properties and the environment. We do this through bonfire site visits and local engagement. From 1 June each year NIFRS will visit bonfire sites to offer safety advice; to develop good relations with the local community and to gain operational information on the bonfire size, hazards and any potential risk should an emergency response be required once the bonfire has been lit. If Firefighters are called out to a bonfire related incident, it is because someone from the local community is concerned and has dialled 999 for our help.

Celebrating Culture Safely

NIFRS Ballymena: 028 25631939, NIFRS Larne & Carrickfergus: 028 90840225.

Housing Executive The Housing Executive Community Cohesion Unit continues to build relationships with local communities in relation to cultural celebrations.

Support can be provided to community groups toward improving bonfire management to reduce environmental damage, better controlled collection of bonfire material, reduce fly tipping and disposal of illegal waste, reduce clean-up costs. NIHE will enforce the law where relevant to it as a landowner.

Stephen Gamble: 028 9598 4179 stephen.gamble2@nihe.gov.uk

This leaflet has been produced in conjunction with the support from the Cultural Celebrations Working Group, alongside its community partners throughout Mid and East Antrim.

#CelebratingCultureSafely

This initiative is supported by The Executive Office through Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Good Relations Programme.

#CelebratingCultureSafely

MidandEastAntrim.gov.uk/GoodRelations

Celebrating Culture Safely

Safe Community

This innovative approach developed by the Cultural Celebrations Working Group and supported by local community partners, has been undertaken to encourage, positive cultural celebrations throughout Mid and East Antrim that are carried out in a respectful and responsible manner, which minimises negative impacts on community and environment.

•

One of the main aims of the Cultural Celebrations Working Group is to strengthen partnerships between local community leaders and statutory partners to encourage safe, responsible and family friendly cultural celebrations.

number of representatives from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, PSNI, NIFRS, NI Housing Executive, NIE Networks, Department for Infrastructure and the NI Environment Agency.

Safe Structure

The Cultural Celebrations Working Group behind the messaging is made up of a

We want to ensure that all cultural celebrations are safe and respectful.

Safe Sites

•

Bonfires must be sited well away from houses, garages, sheds, overhead cables and electricity substations

•

Residents should be consulted before the bonfire is built to make sure they are comfortable with where it is located

#CelebratingCultureSafely

•

Bonfire sites should be well away from areas where children usually play

•

Remember the 1:5 rule. This means the nearest property should not be any closer than 5 times the height of the bonfire

•

Wind direction should be taken into consideration to ensure fumes aren’t blowing across spectators or their homes

•

Bonfires should not be positioned on tarmac or asphalt surfaces. If the weather is dry, preferably the surface should be damped down

•

Ideally a bonfire should be in an area and on a surface that can be easily cleaned afterwards

•

Stockpiling material in open sites can be dangerous particularly for children and can make the neighbourhood look unsightly and encourage vermin

•

Cages or fences to outline the size of the bonfire could be considered to keep spectators at a safe distance

•

Keep the area around the bonfire tidy to prevent embers burning for days which can pose a risk to young children

•

Ensure the flames are fully extinguished after the event

•

Sand bases could be a safer and more environmental way to celebrate culture

•

Ensure the structure is stable to try and prevent it collapsing

•

Bonfires should be a manageable size

•

When building the bonfire, make sure huts and dens are not built within them

•

Bonfires should be lit by a responsible adult

•

Sand bases could prevent damage to the ground

•

Toxic materials, such as tyres, paint, aerosols, bottles or foam filled furniture, are not burned or left at sites

•

Bonfires can often be used as a dumping ground, the burning of this waste can be dangerous for the health of those nearby. It is illegal to dump toxic materials

•

If any illegal waste is dumped at a bonfire site, it is advised you contact the land owner to have this removed safely

NEVER use flammable liquids to light bonfires as they can explode. Use domestic firelighters

Safe Environment

MidandEastAntrim.gov.uk/GoodRelations