VRFA: Be safe out there, use safe fireworks practices

Published 1:45 pm Friday, June 26, 2015

One child in Auburn injured by fireworks, the VRFA encourages citizens to adopt safe fireworks practices

As July 4 approaches, the Valley Regional Fire Authority encourages citizens to adopt safe fireworks practices.

Every year the VRFA responds to many calls for fireworks-related injuries. Many of those injuries are to children. On June 15, nearly three weeks before the July 4th holiday, a seven-year-old Auburn boy suffered injuries to his face because of a fireworks incident.

You can keep your family safe and still enjoy celebrating the July 4th holiday by attending a public fireworks display. The VRFA encourages families to visit public fireworks displays where the lighting of fireworks is left to trained technicians. There are many in the area. For a statewide list of fireworks displays and celebrations visit www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/docs/fireworks/fireshow.pdf.

If you choose to use fireworks, the following tips will help prevent injuries and fires:

Know and follow the fireworks laws in the area you will be discharging them. The cities of Auburn and Pacific only allow the discharge of legal fireworks between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on July 4th. Algona allows discharge July 3 from noon to 11 p.m. and from 12 p.m. until 11:59 p.m. July 4, and from midnight to 2 a.m. July 5. Go to www.vrfa.org for more information on Algona, Auburn and Pacific fireworks regulations, including what fireworks are legal. Auburn has an additional resource at www.auburn.gov/fireworks.

·Read and follow all fireworks manufacturer instructions and safety recommendations. Choose a safe area to discharge them.

·Only adults should discharge fireworks. Keep children and other observers well back from the discharge area. Consider that sparklers burn at temperatures of about 1,200 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.

·Trim any tall grass close to buildings or fences. Clean all gutters and the roof. Move all burnable items away from homes. One stray firework can easily ignite shrubbery or other combustibles.

·Keep garden hoses ready to wet down the discharge area and extinguish small fires. Have a bucket of water to place discharged fireworks in before disposal.

·Light one item at a time and move away quickly. Maintain a safe distance from fireworks display area.

·Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.

·Never point or throw fireworks at another person.

·Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

·Do no approach or try to re-light “duds.” Wait several minutes before disposing in a bucket of water.

For more information please contact the VRFA Public Information Officer at Public.Info@vrfa.org