Firefighters urge fireworks safety ahead of Fourth of July celebrations

TEXAS - With the Fourth of July just days away, Central Texas firefighters and safety experts are urging everyone to exercise caution as communities prepare for historic celebrations marking America’s 250th birthday.

What they're saying:

James Fuller is the National Safety Expert for TNT Fireworks. He is a former firefighter and chief of staff at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 

"It's the 250th anniversary this year, so we are gonna have, I think, a large number of Americans that are gonna use consumer fireworks for the first time," said James Fuller, a national safety expert for TNT Fireworks.

While fireworks are a staple of the Fourth of July festivities, each city is different when it comes to the dos and don'ts.

Before buying or lighting any fireworks, residents must check local ordinances. It is illegal to discharge consumer fireworks within most central Texas city limits, including Austin, Pflugerville, and Georgetown.

"We want to recommend that if you choose to use fireworks, you one, make sure you're doing it in a place that it's [legal] to do that," said Capt. Trevor Stokes of Travis County Emergency Services District 2 and the Pflugerville Fire Department. "There are many jurisdictions across Central Texas that are making them illegal. As an example, the city of Pflugerville is one of those. So you can't use any fireworks at all."

In Austin, consumer fireworks are strictly banned, though the city permits a few novelty items like sparklers. While sparklers are often viewed as a safe, inexpensive alternative for families, experts warn they carry hidden dangers.

"Even a sparkler can burn at up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit," Fuller said. "So that can create a third-degree burn on touch."

Because of those extreme temperatures, Stokes strongly advises against allowing children to handle them.

"A lot of times people will light sparklers and give them to their kids," Stokes said. "Those things melt at temperatures that can actually melt metal."

If you are using legal novelties or discharging fireworks in an area where it is permitted, proper disposal is critical to preventing accidental fires after the show concludes. Experts say used fireworks must be thoroughly soaked in water before being thrown away.

"More fires happen unintentionally by people taking product that they've used after a fireworks show, not properly soaking that product," Fuller said. "They don't wait a period of time. It's not cool to touch. They throw it away and that heats embers overnight and creates a fire in your trash receptacle."

Ultimately, emergency officials state that the safest way to celebrate the holiday is by leaving the pyrotechnics to trained professionals.

"You see jokes and memes on social media about, you know, hoping everybody makes it through this weekend with all of their fingers," Stokes said. "It may sound funny, but the reality is that that's something that could happen if you choose to use fireworks improperly."

Both Stokes and Fuller recommend attending a professional community display rather than attempting to host a hazardous show in a driveway or neighborhood street.

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