Fire service asks Jewish communities to celebrate Pesach safely

As Greater Manchester’s Jewish communities prepare for one of the most widely celebrated holidays – Pesach – Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is urging residents to follow some simple safety advice to keep their households safe.

Under the current circumstances with the Coronavirus pandemic, Pesach will not be the same for families this year who are used to celebrating with a family gathering. The Government’s guidelines remain that people should stay at home and not meet up with others.

As our communities are encouraged to stay at home, GMFRS is reminding members of the public that there are simple measures people can take to keep their households safe from fire whilst enjoying the holiday season.

Only a few months ago during the Chanukah holiday, our crews dealt with a fire in Prestwich where candles started a blaze that caused significant damage to a home.

A working smoke alarm gives you vital extra time to escape if a fire does occur in your home. Test your smoke alarm today by pressing the button until the alarm sounds. A working smoke alarm should be placed on every floor of your home. Other important safety tips include:

• Ensure that candles are placed in a sturdy holder away from flammable materials and never leave them unattended, take extra care if using candles to search for chametz
• Gas flames should never been hindered, otherwise this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning becoming a real threat to families
• Take care with electrical appliances, avoid using a hot plate or water heater which has any signs of damage to the cable

Area Manager Ben Levy said: “Whilst we wish our Jewish community ‘Chag Sameach’ – a safe and happy Pesach, we also want to ensure that we can eliminate any risks during the celebrations.

“Please take the time to read over our safety advice to ensure that Pesach is as joyful as can be during this difficult time. If a fire does occur in your home get out, stay out and call 999.”

You can find more Pesach safety advice on the Celebrating Safely page on our website.

06/04/2020 09:52 AM