The Fourth of July holiday is a time for townsfolk to set off personal fireworks, before the celebration takes place it’s best to know what precautions to take in order to ensure the safety of individuals, as well as, surrounding property. Castle Country Radio was able to sit down with Fire Department Representative, Janarie Cammans to get information about firework safety.

Residents may have noticed the firework tents being set up around town which means it’s almost time to set them off. There is a timeline of when you can do so, as Cammans explains, “So the windows would be July 2 through July 5, between the hours of 11:00 am and 11:00 pm, except for on the holiday, on the holiday it is extended to midnight, one hour. Then July 22 through July 25, same on the holiday, it will be extended to midnight on those hours.” Other holidays that allow the discharge of Class C fireworks is December 31 and on Chinese New Year’s Eve.

Although our winter gave us a lot of moisture there is still very dry vegetation in the area that can cause problems. “I think that is kind of one of those things people are, well, we’re coming out of a drought, and that’s true but we are still in a drought and we still have lots of dry foliage, vegetation, very flammable items and plants that can still catch fire and then catch houses on fire,” said Cammans. That is why you should designate a clear and clean area to launch off fireworks.

“Make sure you have a water source, always a water source for extinguishment, if you need a bucket with water and all those things. Make sure when you are lighting that you are not over the top of your firework, you are kind of doing it with an extended arm, almost running backward, so you can get out of there,” said Cammans. Safety should always be the number one priority when using fireworks, for example, adults should never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks without suitable supervision.

Another important thing to remember is to secure your pets during this time as the fireworks can scare most animals. Its best to keep your pets indoors as fireworks are being set off.

“We want everybody to have such a good time for our holidays, and the first foremost thing that I can think of for having fun is not getting hurt or not starting fires that could hurt your neighbors, hurt your neighborhood, or family or your friends,” said Cammans. People should understand that if a firework is launched and it causes a fire, that individual could be legally responsible for all the costs associated with that fire. Fireworks violations are a Class B Misdemeanor and that can be up to a $1,000.00 fine or six months in jail.