News
July 1, 2009
Celebrate At Fairgrounds For A Fun, Safe Fourth Of July
The City of Raleigh is urging residents to enjoy fireworks provided by the City at the State Fairgrounds. Events start at 5:00 p.m., with the fireworks at 9:15 p.m. If you insist on home fireworks be extremely careful with fireworks now that Independence Day is approaching. Even legal fireworks can be hazardous.
While North Carolina allows some fireworks, all fireworks can be dangerous, said Raleigh Fire Marshal Rusty Styons. “Anyone using fireworks of any kind should be aware of the dangers and use extreme caution,” he said. “The greatest hazards associated with the so-called “safe” fireworks legal in this state are their potential for igniting clothing and causing serious eye injuries.”
Every year, unsafe fireworks are involved in serious injuries, including burns, loss of limbs (particularly fingers), permanent scarring and loss of vision. These are too often the harsh realities of amateur fireworks use.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks injure more than 12,000 persons nationally each year. Nearly 50 percent of the injuries are to children under the age of 15.
The Raleigh/Wake County Emergency Communications Center is not able to break down 9-1-1 calls by fireworks-related injuries. However, the agency reported that it received 72 fireworks-related 9-1-1 calls 9 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. July 3 and July 4 last year. Total number of fireworks-related calls for the same period in 2007 was 129. More than 60 percent of fireworks-related accidents in North Carolina involve the use of “legal” fireworks, Fire Marshal Styons said.
Legal Fireworks
Only limited types of fireworks are permitted for sale and use in North Carolina. Permitted fireworks include:
- Explosive caps for toy pistols, not to exceed 0.25 gram in the explosive mixture;
- Snake and glow worms that emit a snake-like ash when burning;
- Smoke devices that produce white or colored smoke;
- Trick noisemakers, which include sting or party poppers ignited by string and friction, and snappers or drop-pops ignited by dropping (may not contain more than 16 milligrams of explosives);
- Wire sparklers limited to 100 grams of explosive mixture; and,
- Other hand-held or ground-based sparkling devices which emit showers of sparks, sometimes whistle or crack when burning, and do not detonate, explode, spin or propel themselves through the air.
Violation of the fireworks law is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Merchants found in violation of the law will receive a warning; subsequent violations could lead to seizures of the fireworks and the issuing of a citation.
Fire inspectors from the Raleigh Fire Department are monitoring fireworks sales locations through the city to ensure compliance.
Fireworks Safety
It is best to leave fireworks’ use to the experts, said Fire Marshal Styons, urging citizens to attend area Fourth of July celebrations instead of using their own fireworks.
The City of Raleigh’s free Fourth of July celebration will be held at the State of North Carolina Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 4. Festivities -- including games, live entertainment and music -- begin at 5 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. A spectacular fireworks display starts at 9:15 p.m.
This year’s activities provided by the City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department include sports, Independence Day hat-making activity, arts, dance instruction, nature program, adventure program, Taiko Japanese drumming performance, Holiday Express expo, City of Raleigh Police and Fire Departments displays, Dorton Arena’s giant obstacle course, design a park activity, Wii games, contests, scavenger hunt and bingo.
However, for those planning to include legal fireworks in their celebrations, Fire Marshal Styons offers the following safety tips:
- Keep children from playing with all fireworks;
- Use outdoors only and have a garden hose or fire extinguisher handy in case of an emergency;
- Light fireworks one at a time and do not attempt to re-light any device that malfunctions or goes out;
- Use fireworks only in areas free of dried leaves, grass, pine straw or other combustible materials;
- Never give fireworks to children. Teach children at an early age that fireworks are explosive devices and they are not toys;
- Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks;
- Parents should be aware that even sparklers, often mistaken as safe, burn as hot as 1200 degrees. If children are allowed to use these, close supervision is a must. Clothing and hair can easily be ignited.
- Always ensure that sparklers have been completely extinguished before disposing of them. Sparkler wires remain extremely hot even after they have been extinguished and should be allowed to cool completely before being disposed; and,
- Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Prepared by:
Chris Riley
Senior Public Affairs Specialist
Public Affairs Department
For More Information Contact:
Rusty Styons
Fire Marshal
Fire Department
310 West Martin Street, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-996-6392
|
