Fireworks safety

As we prepare to celebrate the country on July 4^th, some Coast residents may be ready to get their hands on fireworks, but those planning to light up the sky should take precautions to make sure they are safe during their celebrations.

Thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured each year using fireworks. Bottle rockets and sparklers generally cause the most issues.

Many consider sparklers safer and give them to kids, but sparklers can reach temperatures high enough to cause third degree burns.

Harrison County Fire Chief Pat Sullivan tells News 25 people should be extra cautious this year. “This year with as dry as it is, we are concerned about the firework season coming up and it being dry and possibilities of wood fires and brush fires. You have to be really careful in the area that you fire the fireworks and make sure that you don’t do it in an area that is so dry that you catch the woods on fire or the brush on fire.”

Sullivan also tells News 25 it’s best to know which fireworks you’re handling and always read the warning labels.