As citizens bring out the matches and lighters to light up the night, it is important to remember safety when sending off the fireworks into the New Year’s sky.

Within the city limits Brookhaven Police Chief Bobby Bell said it is illegal to use fireworks of any kind. Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing said there are no such restrictions in the county.

Both elected officials said the laws and safety hazards concerning fireworks do not stop people from improperly using fireworks.

“We get about 100 calls,” Bell said. “We just try to handle as much as we can.”

Bell said most of the calls the police department receive are from people who know the laws and find the breaking of those laws disturbing. Rushing said they also get calls similar to those to the city regarding fireworks disturbing neighbors.

“We’ve gotten at least two calls this week,” Rushing said. He said the calls related to fireworks being shot at passing cars and advises parents and guardians to not let children shoot fireworks at cars as they drive by because it can cause an accident.

In a report published by The National Fire Association, 17,800 fireworks related fires were reported in 2011. In 2012, emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,700 individuals for fireworks related injuries. The report cited the ages of 15 to 24 as the ages at the highest risk for injuries from fireworks followed by children younger than 10.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that sprinklers are responsible for the highest amount of bodily firework injuries at 31 percent. This is no surprise knowing that sparklers burn at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, which can be put in perspective next to cakes that bake at 350 degrees and glass melts at 900 degrees.

“Just be safe with them,” Rushing said. “They can be harmful.”

 

Follow these safety tips when using fireworks:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don’t realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

Source: The Consumer Product Safety Commission