Holiday safety plan urged

The fuse is lit for the Fourth of July holiday. The annual celebration once again includes a large assortment of fireworks.

Deciding what to buy also involves a commitment to being safe according to Chester Davis with American Fireworks

"Use the fireworks the way they were meant to be used, responsibility do not alter the fireworks and make homemade bombs, celebrate responsibility, it’s a huge tradition in America and its one tradition we have not lost, yet,” said Davis.

If you are putting on your own fireworks show Monday or Tuesday night Davis offered the following tips; Have a designated sober person selected to set off the devices. Have water available to put out any fires. Pour water over all the spent casings. And pick up the trash.

Having a fireworks safety plan isn’t limited to knowing how and where to legally set them off- pet owners need one too. Cats, and especially dogs, can be frightened by the explosions. The anxiety is caused not just from big shows but also those fired off illegally in neighborhoods.

Shawna Brown with Best Friends Boarding Too in Cedar Creek told FOX7 tight wraps can help calm pets. But there are also other techniques used at the kennel that Brown says can be part of a home plan - like the use of a sound system.

"So the music will go up a little louder, so it will drown out any of the pops and bangs that they'll hear, we also have TVs in some of the rooms. And some of the new devices, there is a pillow you can record your voice so they will hear your voice and it’s more comforting,” said Brown.

Authorities are also going to be out looking for and listening for another holiday fireworks tradition. It's dangerous and involves guns. Rounds from Celebratory Gunfire can result in a Deadly Conduct charge, according to APD Spokesperson Destiny Winston.

"And of course what goes up must come down, so you can serious injury or kill someone there are so many other ways you can celebrate this 4th of  July holiday and discharging a firearm is not one of them,” said Winston.

Law enforcement patrols started ramping up last week. That includes the extension of APD's dui no refusal weekend. It runs into Wednesday morning. Boat patrols are also part of the safety crackdown. State, local and LCRA crews are on the highland lakes patrolling and looking for bad holiday behavior.