Month: October 2017

Firework displays are no longer contained to just the 5th November … if they are set off before 11pm (with just a few nights’ exception) they are legal any night of the year.
If you care for a horse this can be somewhat of a headache, particularly if your horse is stabled near housing or a recreation field. It is a considerate party organiser who informs his horse-owning neighbour that he is planning a firework event on an evening and a time … and is a start for the horse owner to prepare.
If your horse is to be close to the fireworks, the British Horse Society advise that you stay with him throughout the event to sooth and calm should he panic. Also, to ensure that his stable or field is secure and free of any dangerous obstacles should he take flight. If he is stabled to keep the doors closed and turning all lights on will minimise flashes. Another tip is to prepare your horse by playing a radio before and during the event to mask the sounds of the fireworks. Your horse may well be afraid of the smell of smoke too. A very nervous horse may need sedation from a vet. Needless to say, you should never ride your equine friend during a firework display! Finally, the next day, check the paddock and surrounding areas thoroughly for bits of firework or any other debris from the night before, horses have been known to die from eating pieces of firework waste.
So, do spare a thought for your equine neighbours this season if you have a firework party planned to ensure that our much-loved creatures are as comfortable as possible as the sparks and flashes fly. For all your fire safety needs including, fire extinguishers, fire blankets, fire alarms and fire safety training for your staff contact us at Bath & West Fire & Safety.

The green-grocer shops are groaning with the weight of pumpkins large and small at the moment … and it also happens to be half term. If you have the strength and dexterity to do some carving, you can create a lantern from a pumpkin, and there’s lots of messy things that the kids can do to help, such as scooping out pumpkin seeds from the inside of the fruit. There are a host of ideas online on how to create your own jack-o-lantern to put on display. But to see the most spectacular pumpkin art the best festivals are in the USA. The Halloween festival everybody is talking about is the Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular in Louisville which runs for around three weeks in October and November. It features over 5,000 beautifully carved pumpkins on display as an art show in daylight, and transformed to a magical illumination with lights sparkling eerily amongst the tree-lined paths at night.
Whether traditional grinning jack, or artistic feature, for safety, it is best to use a battery fed button style light inside your pumpkin. But if real candlelight is a preference, use a tealight as it is contained within a metal cup. Put your jack-o-lantern outside away from walkways where it won’t get accidentally knocked over, keep it away from anything flammable and always make sure that the candle is snuffed out when the party is over.
Happy carving! For all your fire safety needs including fire extinguishers, fire blankets and fire safety training contact us at Bath & West Fire & Safety.

Last Thursday was a special evening for us at the BoA Business Awards. We won in the popular category of Best Professional Services. 

After supper and wine there was the nail-biting wait as the winners were announced in the category.  Upon hearing the news that Bath & West Fire & Safety had won the award, partners Steve and Darren leapt onto the stage to accept it, and Steve gave an impromptu speech with Darren also expressing his thanks with a big smile. Now the Award takes pride of place in the office, where it will remain on display for the year.

Since 1991 we have worked hard to see that Bradford-on-Avon is put on the map in respect of an independent, accredited, and knowledgeable business such as Bath & West Fire & Safety serving communities and businesses with fire safety advice and assessment, fire safety supply and fitting, fire alarm commissioning and maintenance, and fire safety training.
So, thank you, to you, our loyal customer for having the faith in us, and taking the time to put your tick in the box for our business. We won!

California is suffering from ‘unprecedented’ devastation following wildfires which have ripped through its northern wine regions around San Francisco. Wildfires are not unusual in California, but this spate of blazes started almost in unison, catching the fire safety services in the almost impossible position of keeping them under control.
An estimated 1,500 structures have been destroyed, along with several priceless vineyards in this famous region. Around 20,000 people have been evacuated, including care home residents and hospital patients, but the fire has claimed several lives in its wake. Fire fighters are battling night and day but the wildfires continue to fox their attempts to put them out. High winds and a warm atmosphere have played their part in spreading the fire.
California’s famous wine valley particularly suffered. Although the main bulk of the wine region’s grape has been harvested, the most valuable late crop was reduced to ashes. Signorello Estate Winery and Paradise Ridge Winery were destroyed and portions of another, Stags’ Leap, were also burned. Wineries in the Napa Valley are the region’s lifeblood and the economic cost is yet to be fully calculated.
As the fires spread, witnesses reported that smoke was thick in San Francisco, 60 miles south of the Sonoma County fire. The origins of these devastating fires are under investigation, and we really hope that the fire services will get them under control soon.
For all your fire safety concerns, at home, at work and on the road including alarms, fire extinguishers and fire safety training for your staff please contact us at Bath & West Fire & Safety.

Autumn is glowing with rich colours and the leaves are falling.  Acorns and horse chestnuts litter the ground as the mornings take a little longer to warm up the day.  This is the perfect time for early rising and taking that long walk into the countryside.  If you are lucky, and plan your trip accordingly, you will witness one of nature’s wonders: the deer rut.  The buck deer which roam our open spaces will stock up on food to fuel their bodies for the most challenging time of year for them, and their very survival depends upon it as they battle each other for supremacy.  The sound and sight of rutting is unforgettable and it is wise to keep a safe distance from this natural phenomenon as testosterone is high and deer have been known to chase and attack people and dogs particularly at rutting time.

There are fire safety rules to follow in the countryside too.  Always make sure that cigarettes and other smoking materials are extinguished properly, never throw cigarette ends out of car windows – in autumn dry leaves can be particularly flammable.  Don’t leave bottles or glass  – sunlight shining through glass can start fires.  Take all litter home or put it in a waste or recycling bin.  If a barbecue is planned, make sure there is permission for this to take place.

If time is short and you want a guaranteed view of a herd of fallow deer why not take a scenic walk in Dyrham Park near Bath where the rutting season is happening right now with their resident herd.

For your event, dwelling or workplace, we can supply fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and fire safety training call us at Bath & West Fire & Safety.