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Scary stats from the Fire Brigade

Here are some really scary statistics from a press release sent out by Notts Fire and Rescue today.

The fire service attends more than 700 road traffic collisions in the county every year, releasing trapped casualties and making vehicles safe. Figures for 2007/08 so far suggest that these figures are likely to be replicated this year, with 337 attendances already recorded between April and September. East Midlands Ambulance Service attend approximately 10 road accidents in the county every day.

Most accidents happen on the county’s ‘A‘ roads, with one-third of these taking place on the A52 and the A46. The majority happen on Sundays and Tuesdays – Wednesday is the quietest day – and the busiest time for emergency services is between 8am and 10am, and 2pm and 8pm.

“The Fire and Rescue Service has more call-outs to road traffic collisions than to fires, and we see more deaths and injuries as a result,” explained Watch Manager Rick Cropley, of West Bridgford Fire Station, who has organised Monday’s event.

“Many of these accidents are caused by inexperience, inappropriate speed and drivers under the influence of drink or drugs. It isn’t always that driver who comes off worst in the event of a crash. Sadly, it is often the passengers or occupants of a different vehicle entirely who suffer the consequences.

“I would urge people to ‘Think!’ about the risks they are taking and the danger they may put their friends in if they take the bend too fast or mix driving with taking alcohol or drugs. The consequences are all too obvious and a conviction has the potential to ruin your life. “

They’re having an event on Monday when they’ll mock up a collision with multiple cars and a lorry.

Another factoid

Today’s factoid: “Polish/polish” is the only word in the English language whose pronunciation changes when you capitalise a letter.

Sorry for all the short posts in recent weeks – I’m struggling to find the enthusiasm to write anything more noteworthy.

Today’s random fact

Giant wind turbine blades – each one as big as the trailer on an articulated lorry – are made on the Isle of Wight, before being shipped over to Southampton, and eventually on to their final locations.  The name of boat that brings them over…?  it’s called the Bladerunner.

Fancy a holiday?

Eep!

Wandering through town today I spotted this unlikely looking holiday offer and thought I had to snap it up immediately.

Unfortunately P doesn’t have 106 holiday days left this year 😦 that and we don’t have £30,000 each stashed away.

My bro’s mo

My brother is growing a “mo” – a moustache in Australian slang – in November.

There’s a site called www.movember.org that explains more, but basically you start  with a cleanshaven face at the start of November, and grow a mo by the end of it.   You get sponsored to do it, with the cash going to men’s health charities.

I vaguely thought about joining in, but I think it might be counted as cheating to shave off part of a beard and end up with a mo.

Halloween costume

Just remembered – I haven’t updated my loyal readership on the thorny issue of my Halloween costume.

A brief visit to a costume shop, and something jumped out to me as a suitable costume for a person with a beard – a werewolf:

Werewolf costume

I accessorized the costume with goth spiky leather bracelets and neck straps, wore brown facepaint and made lines on my face with eyeliner.  I had hairy hands as well as face.
The invite to the party stipulated that people without facepaint would not be allowed in. But there were a variety of different costumes there from some barely dressed up to some very ornate and scary affairs. And our host really went to town with the decorations, covering every downstairs wall and ceiling with black binbags, and decorating the house with various glow-in-the-dark skeletons and other gouls and eyeballs.