Must Have Firework Safety Tips for the Summer

Don’t Give Your Little Kids Sparklers 

Children should not have sparklers until they’ve demonstrated that they can handle them in a safe and mature way. Sparklers burn hot. In fact, sparkler related injuries cause many children to be rushed to the ER every year. It’s been suggested that sparklers burn at temperatures that are high enough to melt some metals. If you plan on letting your children wave sparklers around, they need to understand that sparklers can cause serious damage to their skin and eyes, as well as other parts of their bodies. Sparklers should never touch their skin. Children need to understand that sparklers need to be held at a distance from them at all times. They should not bring the sparkler close to their hair or clothing as a spark could easily start a fire. When children are done with their sparklers, they need to be dipped in water and disposed of correctly.  

Light Them in the Right Places 

It’s important for people to light their fireworks in the right places. Each state and city has ordinances of where fireworks can be lit. Remember, though, just because there’s an ordinance doesn’t mean that you’re lighting the fireworks in a smart place. You should never light fireworks on top of any vegetation, as it could easily catch fire. If you’re going to light fireworks on your property, you should be lighting them away from your house and other structures. For example, if you have a shed on your property, you should make sure that your fireworks are an adequate distance from the shed. If you live on a street that’s highly trafficked, you should refrain from lighting the fireworks on that street. Do not light fireworks in heavily wooded areas with lots of trees, as the trees could catch fire. There are certain places where it may be safe to light fireworks but illegal to do so. For example, many national parks prohibit any time of firework whether that’s in the park itself or on the campground. If you are in a national park, do not bring fireworks to set off. Not only can it disturb the natural wildlife, but it can also cause you some pretty steep legal troubles.

Dispose of them Properly 

Fireworks need to be disposed of properly. Many fireworks are cheaply made and may behave unpredictably. If you’ve just lit a firework, don’t assume that it’s done the second it stops. Let it cool off a while before approaching it. After fireworks have cooled, they may still need to be dowsed in water to ensure that they’re really out. Do not leave your fireworks in the street, or out in nature. If you’ve lit fireworks off in a forest or wilderness area—and you almost certainly shouldn’t have done that—do not just leave the fireworks there. Not only is litter bad for the environment, but those fireworks may not be sufficiently put out and could cause a forest fire. Make sure you’re disposing of your fireworks properly. 

Research Your Local Laws 

Firework laws vary from state to state, but they also vary from city to city and they may even vary from year to year. During drier years, Utah has outlawed certain types of fireworks in certain areas. For example, in one particularly dry year, some people living in Layton were able to light off certain types of fireworks while others in the same town were not able to do so according to the ordinance. Make sure that you’re researching your local laws and following them. If you’re wondering, can I be arrested for illegal fireworks? The answer is yes, it’s possible, especially if you’re in a state with particularly strict laws regarding fireworks. Make sure that you not only follow the laws on which fireworks you can use, but you should also follow the laws on when you can set them off. Many ordinances have quiet hours, and fireworks aren’t able to be set off every evening.  

Store Them Safely 

There are guidelines on how you should store your fireworks. Make sure that you’re storing them safely. Fireworks should never be stored near accelerants, heaters, or in areas that may become hot. You may want to consider storing fireworks outside, instead of inside your house. Fireworks ought to be stored out of a child’s reach as well. You should always research the best practices for storing fireworks, as they change from year to year. Remember too that fireworks expire. If you decide to throw away your fireworks, make sure you to so properly, according to safety guidelines and the law.  

Moxie Law Group Thanks You for Your Service 

At Moxie Law Group, we are so thankful for those who have chosen to serve our country. We’re wishing you a happy Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and an all around beautiful and safe summer.