Introduction
The
number of injuries caused by fireworks each year is relatively
low. In 2002, the overall number of firework injuries fell by
25% with 1,017 injuries recorded. Significantly they fell by even more among the group we
targeted in last years fireworks safety campaign teenagers by nearly
32%.
Moreover,
injuries caused by casual incidents in the street or public
places also fell by a similar margin of 33%.
DTI have
published the full data for 2002 firework injuries which can
be accessed here.
DTI Press Notice on Bill Tynan MP's Private Members Bill on
fireworks which received Royal Assent on 18 September 2003.
Measures to tackle the anti-social use of
fireworks, DTI Press Notice 5 November 2003. The DTI has begun
a consultation on these
measurers.
Fact
Sheet on the Sale and Use of Fireworks
DTI
Fireworks Safety Campaign 2003
Every
year, DTI runs a fireworks safety campaign with the support of
organisations such as Child
Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), Fight
for Sight and The
Blue Cross.
In 2003
we will, again, be targeting misuse of fireworks by teenagers,
particularly boys from lower socio-economic groups, and on
injuries caused by sparklers, especially to children under the
age of 5 years (see below)
The 2003
campaign
materials are available for download from this site.
2003
Key
Messages
Teenagers:
'Don't
Fool With Fireworks' and 'Bang Goes Your Image'.
Focus on the personal lifestyle consequences of firework
misuse, often serious and long lasting.
Portray firework misuse as stupid and uncool.
Parents
and carers: 'Fireworks are Explosives, Get Wise or Get Hurt'. Reinforce the message that sparklers are not
harmless fun but are fireworks that can cause serious burns
and should never be given to children under the age of five.
Emphasise that parents and/or carers should supervise any use
by young children at all times.
General
Public: Always follow the Firework Code and be considerate of
others.
Retailers:
Be aware of responsibilities and comply with legislation in
order to avoid the possibility of a heavy fine.
2003
Campaign Activity
A new TV
advert on sparkler safety aimed at parents and carers of young
children, for showing on breakfast and daytime TV. As with previous adverts, it will also
be used to generate wider media interest.
An advert
aimed at teenagers to be shown in selected cinemas in the week
leading up to 5th November including the autumn half
term holiday.
A
targeted SMS text messaging pilot campaign to coincide with
the advert showings in cinemas.
DTI is producing 25,000 updated Firework Safety Education
packs for circulation to schools across the country at the
start of the Autumn term. They contain material for use during
the Literacy Hour and Personal and Social Education (PSE)
sessions. The packs have been designed to work with the term
teaching objectives of the National Literacy Strategy through
Key Stages 1 to 3.
In
addition to the main campaign outlined above, DTI will
continue to promote more general firework safety messages
through existing campaign materials including production of
refreshed toolkits aimed at all Fire Brigades, Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers, Health Promotion Units, and Police Forces in England, Scotland and
Wales.
The
2003 campaign materials are also available for download from this site (see
under Publicity & Resources
heading).
DTIs media strategy will target national broadcast media, childrens television, consumer affairs correspondents and the regional press. We also plan to target magazines aimed at parents of young children with the sparkler safety messages and the retail trade press in time for fireworks going on sale. Case studies are being sourced for use by the national and regional media. The DTI consumer Policy Minister will be available for interview as well as spokespeople from the Child Accident Prevention Trust, Fight for Sight and the Blue Cross. An independent fireworks safety expert will also be
available.
2003
Printed
Publicity Materials
As in previous years, we are producing large numbers of
posters and leaflets to communicate the fireworks safety
messages.
These include materials such as:
basic firework code leaflet for distribution by
retailer
Asian language code leaflet
poster for nursery schools
displays leaflet aimed at organisers of firework
displays
leaflet aimed at retailers explaining the law in
relation to storage and sale of fireworks.
Some items will be distributed with the education packs or
toolkit, others will be available to order in bulk from the DTI
Publications Orderline and many will also
be available for download from this site. For full details
please see the web page under the Publicity
& Resources heading.
Last updated: 05 November 2003
Introduction