Getting ready for Glastonbury Festival
16th June 2017
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Glastonbury Festival hosts a population of over 200,000 - making it the second largest city within Devon and Somerset, Plymouth being the largest.  Such an enormous site represents a major challenge for all the emergency services who are engaged to ensure public safety throughout the duration of the event.

Involvement for Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service means detailed planning prior to the event. During the festival 24 hour resilience and support is delivered as part of a multi-agency approach with resources to cover the operational response, fire protection and enforcement, fire prevention and education and a strategic command team so that public safety is maintained.

Safety messages are delivered throughout the festival and after discussions with Glastonbury festival organisers a particular focus this year is highlighting the danger of Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

As part of our prevention and protection work at Glastonbury festival we have will be busy distributing safety posters throughout the site prior to opening. (attached)

Spotting the danger signs of CO poisoning

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when a fuel such as charcoal, gas or petrol burns incompletely. This could be because an appliance isn’t working properly or might simply happen as part of its normal function.

You cannot smell, taste or see Carbon Monoxide, so…if you suddenly get flu symptoms, or have headaches, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness or weakness you may have Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

Carbon Monoxide is potentially fatal and even low-levels of the poison can cause lasting damage to your health. The best advice is to avoid any chance of being poisoned in the first place.

Did you know that BBQs give off poisonous carbon monoxide hours after use?

BBQs are designed for cooking not for heating up spaces. Modern tents are designed as an integral structure with built-in groundsheets, if portable or disposable BBQs are bought inside to warm the tent up and carbon monoxide gases can rise to fatal levels in a matter of minutes.

To work safely BBQs need more ventilation than your tent or awning can provide and there’s also the risk of fire.

Disposable BBQ’s

  • study the user instructions carefully and follow them closely
  • only use in very well ventilated areas
  • the foil base gets very hot, so never place on anything flammable
  • leave to cool before moving – this may take several hours - consider pouring water over it to make sure it's out
  • do not place in a rubbish bin until it has cooled down

Don’t rely on a carbon monoxide detector to keep you safe in a tent or awning. They may be useful at home, in a caravan or in a motorhome, but they are not designed for the conditions found in a tent or awnings.

We would like to offer some safety tips to make sure that you have a safe and enjoyable time.

  • Never take a barbecue into a tent awning, caravan or motorhome. Even a cooling barbecue gives off plenty of poisonous carbon monoxide (CO), which can kill.
  • Never use a fuel-burning appliance to heat your tent or awning. Gas and kerosene heaters – unless they are permanently fitted in a caravan or motorhome – should only be used outside. Stoves and barbecues are designed for cooking not space heating.
  • Never run a gas, petrol or diesel-powered generator inside a caravan, motorhome, tent or awning. Make sure fumes from a generator don’t blow into your unit or anyone else’s from outside either.
  • Don’t cook inside your tent or awning
  • Don’t use any other gas, charcoal, liquid or solid fuel appliances inside a tent or awning. Gas-powered fridges and lamps, for example, also need plenty of ventilation to prevent them producing poisonous carbon monoxide. Tents and awnings aren’t generally designed with this in mind.
  • Use a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm, in your caravan or motorhome though it should never be used as an alternative to the precautions above.
  • Always have gas appliances in your caravan or motorhome serviced regularly.

For further safety advice please visit Glastonbury Festival website or visit our Glastonbury webpage.

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Colin S

Member since: 27th February 2014

Hi, I am Colin Slade, I am the New Business Manager here at thebestof Exeter and I handle lots of the PR and News stories for our clients

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