The holy month of Ramadan begins on the evening of Sunday 10^th March and ends on the evening of Tuesday 9^th April.

This involves Muslims fasting in daylight hours and not eating or drinking for potentially up to 16 hours per day.

During Ramadan it is common to have one meal just before sunrise and another directly after sunset.

This means that cooking often takes place before and after sunrise, so kitchen safety is really important.

By taking just a few simple precautions you can greatly reduce the risks for yourself, your family and friends.

Kitchen safety advice for the Muslim community

As you prepare a substantial meal prior to sunrise, at this early hour in the morning, it could be very easy for a fire to start.  To avoid a fire, please follow these safety tips:

• Take extra care when cooking with oil, as it easily sets alight.
• If deep fat frying, only one third of a pan is filled with oil prior to cooking.
• If your Karrai pan or wok is smoking excessively, turn off the heat.
• Never throw water on a burning pan, cover with a damp tea-towel and turn off the heat to allow it to cool down.
• When preparing food for large families or community groups, be careful using oversized pots on gas cookers due to potential build up of carbon monoxide, which can be fatal.
• Be very careful with clothing, i.e. make sure head scarves etc do not come into contact with a naked flame. You should also ensure tea towels, clothes or electrical leads are a safe distance from hobs also.
• Alternatively, can food be baked instead of fried in oil?
• Do not leave cooking unattended.
• Ensure you have working fire detection alarms on every floor of your home - test them weekly to make sure they work.

Plan your escape route

• Practice your escape route and ensure everyone in the home is aware of how to get out of the building should a fire ever develop.

Road Safety during Ramadan & Eid al-Fitr

Road safety is always a major concern across North Wales and this is no different during Ramadan and Eid, the festival that follows the fast. We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate some key road safety messages.

In the UK, there has been an increasing trend amongst Muslims, particularly young Asian drivers being involved in road traffic collisions during Ramadan and Eid. The combination of inexperienced drivers, distractions and excitement of friends coming together to break the fast has resulted in serious injuries and deaths from road collisions in the past.

Despite the belief of spending time with the ones close to you, this causes a lot of traffic.

Fasting; especially during mild and warmer weather that we can experience this time of the year. Warm weather and working conditions can advance dehydration, cause low blood sugar, exhaustion, over-steering, and increased levels of impatience, resulting in low attention span, blurred vision, increased reaction times, and overall, reckless driving.

Please take care when driving, especially inexperienced drivers who may not have driven a vehicle whilst fasting previously. If you are planning to hire a vehicle, be mindful of engines that are much more powerful than those you are accustomed to.

As always, please continue to:

• Be aware of your own limitations and follow all speed limits.
• Respect road laws, including wearing your seatbelt.
• Always avoid distractions such as mobile phones or eating if the sun has set.
• Keep a sufficient distance between their vehicle and don’t tailgate.
• Plan your schedule properly and leave early to avoid the need for rushing and speeding.
• Stay off the roads at sundown, if you can avoid it.
• Use your lights during dawn.
• Use public transport or taxis where possible.

We realise how important Ramadan is to the Muslim community and hope this advice will help to keep you safe during this very important occasion. 

‘Ramadan Mubarak’ to all those who celebrate Ramadan.