Officials stress safety first for the holiday

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July 3, 2009

Everyone wants to enjoy the holiday, and it’s important to pay attention to safety rules.

By BOB GIBBINS The Tahlequah Daily Press Fri Jul 03, 2009, 10:51 AM CDT

Tahlequah residents will join people across the country Saturday celebrating our nation’s independence with the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air.

But, local fire officials are taking time this holiday to urge people to be courteous and thoughtful of neighbors when setting off firecrackers. Fire Chief Ray Hammons said a little common sense will go a long way in making this a safe holiday weekend.

“The weather looks like it’s going to be dry. We haven’t had any rain to speak of,” Hammons said. “So, people need to stay away from tall grass when setting off their fireworks.”

Hammons says it’s also a good idea, regardless of weather conditions, to have adult supervision with fireworks.

“Don’t aim them [fireworks] at buildings, people or animals,” he said. “Animals are sensitive to the noise, so people need to be considerate of their neighbors’ animals.”

Hammons advises it’s also good thinking to realize which direction the wind’s blowing and to have a water hose, fire extinguisher or something else to use on a fire should one start.

He said you should avoid relighting “duds” because they could explode in your face.

Safety glasses should be considered in some instances.

Remember those sparklers that a lot of us had fun with in our younger days?

Hammons reminds local residents that those have metal handles that can become a branding iron even after they’re discarded.

He suggests putting them in a bucket and not rehandling them after they’re extinguished.

“Bottle rockets are against the law in Oklahoma even on the Fourth of July,” Hammons said. “Fireworks of any other kind may only be detonated in Tahlequah on July 4 and New Year’s Day.”

The fire chief also advises against setting off several firecrackers at once to make a louder noise. He said it is very dangerous to tie a group of firecrackers together.

“You need to ignite them one at a time and don’t hold it in your hand while you light it,” he warned. “Make sure they’re done doing what they’re supposed to do before you approach a firework on the ground.”

Some fireworks are to be put in tubes to be detonated. Hammons said people shouldn’t put them in a larger or smaller tube than suggested.

If you are burned by a firecracker, he said you should run cool water on it and have an adult look at it to determine whether it warrants medical attention.

Hammons said it’s a good idea to designate someone to call 911 before trying to extinguish a fire started by fireworks.

The fire chief said TFD receives a fairly low number of calls related to fireworks.

Hammons also has another suggestion that adults refrain from consuming alcohol while igniting fireworks.

“Alcohol and fireworks don’t mix,” he said. “People need to separate them somehow.”

Hammons said following an old standard is good to follow when igniting fireworks.

“Read the directions before you try to set anything off,” he said.

If you still have questions, call the fire department at 456-2424.

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