×

Get a bang out of holiday fireworks safely, officials urge

Staff photos / R. Michael Semple Kevon Moreland Jr., 15, left, and his father, Kevon Moreland Sr. of Youngstown, shop Thursday for fireworks at the Phantom Fireworks store in Austintown for the upcoming July 4 holiday.

As the oohs and ahs are cued up from fireworks lighting skies across the Mahoning Valley, officials are offering safety tips ahead of July 4 celebrations.

While fireworks can be a nuisance to some, Lt. Valorie Delmont of the Austintown Police Department said residents should call police only under certain circumstances.

“If it’s on a designated date and the fireworks are legal, we’d ask more questions. With the new law, the only way we would respond to a fireworks call is if there is a safety concern, if there is injury, if they’re causing property damage, if they’re leaving a mess, or if they are setting them off in the road.”

Delmont said fireworks complaints used to be common during the holiday week, and often diverted police attention from more pressing matters just to show up and tell the offender to stop.

Around the Fourth, she said, police regularly see an increase in alcohol consumption, leading to more fights, disorderly conduct and safety problems such as road rage and drunken driving. Delmont said parking problems are another concern, when family gatherings block neighborhood streets, making it difficult for others to pass or, worse yet, obstructing emergency vehicle access.

She said police also spend a considerable bit of time responding to lost animal calls.

“We do take calls for lost pets — and found ones — and try to match them up, try to get them home and find homes for the loose ones,” she said.

Delmont added that pet owners should plan ahead, and try to let their pets out before the bulk of the explosive celebrations begin, and always keep a close eye on them.

Austintown fire Chief Andy Frost said it is important that users follow state guidelines, which are posted on the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s website, and use their heads.

“Just using good common sense goes a long way,” he said.

Frost said users need to ensure they have an ability to quickly extinguish any fires that start, like a garden hose, and a way to prevent fires like a bucket of water for disposing of used cartridges and sparklers.

“Be careful around kids, and pets, and watch out around dry vegetation,” he said.

Austintown, like many fire departments, also operates EMS units. Frost said fire and injury calls related to fireworks vary from year to year.

“Sometimes we have 25 calls on the Fourth, sometimes it’s only four or five. A lot of it depends on rain saturation in the area, and just from people shooting them off other than how they were intended,” he said.

Frost said many injuries come from misuse, like holding fireworks in your hand that are intended to be fired from the ground at a distance from people.

“Shooting fireworks at people, that also happens quite a bit, and we see a lot of burns with sparklers from kids who try to touch the white hot metal,” he said. “We’ll see people throw firecrackers, and dirt and shrapnel from the ground gets in their eyes.”

Frost said he’s seen everything from low-grade abrasions and slight burns, to third-degree burns caused just by sparklers. In the 1990s, he responded to a call where someone had blown off their hand with an M80. Overall, though, he said fireworks have not been the same problem they once were.

“People are getting better, and they understand more than they used to how to handle things safely and use common sense,” he said.

SAFETY TIPS FROM PHANTOM

William Weimer, vice president and general counsel at Phantom Fireworks, said they recommend a number of safety measures, many similar to the ones shared by Frost. Weimer suggested making sure fireworks are properly braced. A bracing method he advised would be to place the fireworks between two cinder blocks or bricks, with one facing the audience and the other facing away to avoid the fireworks tipping over toward the audience.

Maintaining a safe distance is another important factor, Weimer said.

“You should have a minimum of 150 feet between the launch site and the onlookers for aerial fireworks and 35 to 50 feet minimum for any ground-based item like a fountain firework,” he said.

Weimer said the best source of water would be a hose to give you an unlimited amount of water in case of an emergency and to douse used fireworks thoroughly with water, making sure they’re “cold to the touch” before disposing of them.

“Let them stand for 20 or 30 minutes, make sure they’re cold and put them in a container outside away from the house, garage or shed in case there’s a live spark buried that you missed so that it doesn’t burn anything down,” he said.

Weimer said at their retail stores, safety tables allow consumers to see recommended safety equipment such as goggles, hoses, working gloves and extended lighters.

Weimer also said each aisle has card holders with words and pictures explaining how to safely use fireworks. When checking out, safety flyers are stapled to receipts in English and Spanish, along with tips printed on the bag.

“”By the time you leave a Phantom fireworks store, if you don’t see the safety tips at least three or four times, then you’re not paying attention,” he said.

For those concerned for their pets’ safety as neighbors and firework shows go on all over the area, Weimer said their stores also offer products to destress pets during these celebrations.

In a news release the company stated, “Phantom offers a CBD-infused calming aid, a customer favorite that promotes relaxation, encourages healthy sleep and reduces pets’ stress during fireworks. Moreover, ensuring pets are in a safe place before, during and after fireworks displays is crucial. Tips to help pets cope with loud noises include distracting them with music or television and closing windows and curtains to reduce noise.”

The company also offers toys and accessories to help pets deal with the fireworks, many of which light up, allowing pet owners to locate and play with their pets in the dark during fireworks displays.

For veterans suffering from PTSD that may make them more vulnerable during the shooting off of fireworks, Weimer recommends neighbors give each other a notice when they’re lighting them off.

“There’s signs available that veterans can get put on their front lawns saying veterans live here and to be cautious,” he said.

Weimer stressed the importance of ensuring consumers of fireworks purchase from licensed dealers and regulated federal agencies.

“Regulation means the amount of pyrotechnic composition in an item is limited,” Weimer said. “For instance, a rocket has 20 grams maximum of powder. You go buy a rocket from an unlicensed person, you face two problems. One, it’s not limited to 20 grams. It could be 40 or 60 grams. You either want a good, solid, compliant firework that’s going to perform as you expected, or you want a wild, crazy item that has too much juice and not enough time for you to get away.”

STATE STATS

The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) noted that since 2022, Ohioans, unless prevented by local laws, can now legally discharge 1.4G consumer fireworks on specified days throughout the year.

The following dates from 4 to 11 p.m. are permitted this year for consumer usage: Today and Sunday, and Wednesday through July 7.

Statistics compiled by the SFM’s Fire Prevention Bureau shows Ohio experienced 128 fire-related incidents caused by the use of fireworks in 2023, resulting in 22 residential building fires that caused $700,000 in damage. In 2024, there have been 10 firework-related incidents that have caused about $10,000 in losses.

In addition, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission cited fireworks as being responsible for more than 10,200 injuries in 2022, a 25% increase from 2006.

The report said nearly half of the injuries were bystanders, many of whom were children.

“Fireworks can bring joy to our celebrations, but it’s important to recognize the inherent risks that come with them as well,” said Anita Metheny, chief of SFM’s Fire Prevention Bureau. “By being informed and following safety guidelines, we can reduce injuries and ensure a festive and safe Fourth of July for all.”

Even trick and novelty fireworks, such as those that smoke, sparkle, snap and snake, can pose safety risks to consumers. Ohio residents are encouraged to follow these essential safety tips when using trick or novelty fireworks:

* Only handle and discharge trick and novelty devices under adult supervision.

* Educate yourself on the hazards of each type of device being used.

* Carefully read and follow the label directions on the packaging.

* Light only one sparkler at a time and hold it away from your body and away from others.

* Sparklers should only be used by someone 12 or older.

* Sparkler wires should immediately be placed in a bucket of water to avoid injury since they can remain extremely hot for several minutes following burnout.

“Even sparklers can cause serious injuries if not handled correctly,” Metheny said. “Always supervise their use or consider safer alternatives like glow sticks, especially for children.”

Have an interesting story? Contact Dan Pompili by email at dpompili@vindy.com. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday

Have an interesting story? Contact Chris McBride by email at cmcbride@tribtoday.com. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today