Our View: Holiday fun means safety comes first
With the Fourth of July holiday almost upon us, and street-corner stands and stores ripe with fireworks, it's not too early to share a message about fireworks safety with our families.
Safety starts at home, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and that begins by not allowing young children to play with or ignite fireworks. For children old enough to partake in the festivities, an adult must be on hand to supervise — and even with fireworks that are seemingly child-friendly, such as sparklers. For the record, sparklers burn at a temperature of about 2,000 degrees.
Also to avoid burns and injury, never place part of your body directly over a firework when igniting it — and never attempt to relight a firework that failed to ignite properly.
Attempting to carry fireworks in a pocket, or to shoot them off in an enclosed container are also things that must be avoided. Add to that, buying illegal fireworks, or fireworks packaged in brown paper that are typically made for professional displays.
A bucket of water or a garden hose is a must-have in case of fire or mishap, and after fireworks complete their burning, they must be doused with plenty of water before disposal.
Wildfire
Given recent dry conditions and high temperatures, the risk of wildfire is dramatically increased when fireworks are involved. The surest way to avoid wildfires set by home firework displays is to attend professional displays. Opportunities abound for this in the High Country. If you do plan personal displays, the rules above, in addition to lighting fireworks only in areas not at risk of igniting, will serve our community well.
Beyond the fireworks display
And because for many people July 4 means more than fireworks, local law enforcement officers will rightly be enforcing “Booze It & Lose It: Operation Firecracker” today through July 8. Increased checkpoints and stepped up patrols will help keep roadways safer on what is projected to be a record travel week in the High Country.
Safety starts at home, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and that begins by not allowing young children to play with or ignite fireworks. For children old enough to partake in the festivities, an adult must be on hand to supervise — and even with fireworks that are seemingly child-friendly, such as sparklers. For the record, sparklers burn at a temperature of about 2,000 degrees.
Also to avoid burns and injury, never place part of your body directly over a firework when igniting it — and never attempt to relight a firework that failed to ignite properly.
Attempting to carry fireworks in a pocket, or to shoot them off in an enclosed container are also things that must be avoided. Add to that, buying illegal fireworks, or fireworks packaged in brown paper that are typically made for professional displays.
A bucket of water or a garden hose is a must-have in case of fire or mishap, and after fireworks complete their burning, they must be doused with plenty of water before disposal.
Wildfire
Given recent dry conditions and high temperatures, the risk of wildfire is dramatically increased when fireworks are involved. The surest way to avoid wildfires set by home firework displays is to attend professional displays. Opportunities abound for this in the High Country. If you do plan personal displays, the rules above, in addition to lighting fireworks only in areas not at risk of igniting, will serve our community well.
Beyond the fireworks display
And because for many people July 4 means more than fireworks, local law enforcement officers will rightly be enforcing “Booze It & Lose It: Operation Firecracker” today through July 8. Increased checkpoints and stepped up patrols will help keep roadways safer on what is projected to be a record travel week in the High Country.