Reporter
Sac Metro Fire wants people to put safety first when lighting fireworks this summer
AND SAN JOAQUIN COUNTIES. TODAY WE ARE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM THE SALE OF LEGAL FIREWORKS, BUT NO MATTER WHETHER THEY’RE LEGAL OR NOT, EACH YEAR WE SEE FIRES AND INJURIES THAT ARE COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE. ACCORDING TO FIRE CREWS. IF PEOPLE FOLLOW SEVERAL SIMPLE RULES, KCRA 3’S ERIN HEFT SHOWS US WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND. THAT ALL TOO FAMILIAR POP FIREWORKS. THEY BRING A LOT OF JOY. THEY ALSO ALSO BRING A LOT OF TROUBLE, WHETHER THEY’RE, QUOTE, SAFE AND SANE OR NOT. SO WE MET WITH METRO FIRE TO BREAK DOWN WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW FIRST, WHAT EXACTLY DOES SAFE AND SANE MEAN? A SAFE AND SANE IS THE ADOPTED VERBIAGE FOR LEGAL FIREWORKS. ALL FIREWORKS ARE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE NOT USING THEM AS INTENDED AND NOT USING THE PROPER SAFETY GUIDELINES. AND THOSE SAFETY GUIDELINES. THEY’RE PRETTY SIMPLE. FIRST OFF, MAKE SURE THERE’S A 30 FOOT CLEARANCE AROUND THE AREA WHERE YOU’RE ABOUT TO LIGHT THEM, WHERE NOTHING CAN CATCH FIRE. NEXT, HAVE A BUCKET FILLED WITH WATER AND A HOSE NEARBY. WHEN YOU GO TO LIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LONG HANDLE TOOL. STAY AWAY. MAKE SURE EVERYBODY ELSE IS AWAY, ESPECIALLY THE KIDS. GO AHEAD AND LIGHT AND THEN BACK AWAY AS QUICK AS YOU CAN. AND ENJOY THE SHOW. WHEN IT’S ALL OVER, MAKE SURE TO SUBMERGE THOSE FIREWORKS FOR 24 HOURS. AND WE’RE GOING TO GIVE THIS FIREWORK A BATH FOR FULL 24 HOURS. WE’RE GOING TO SOAK THAT FIREWORK, MAKE SURE IT’S ALL THE WAY UNDERWATER, NOT FOLLOWING THESE SEVERAL SAFETY RULES HAS LED TO TRAGIC ENDINGS. WE’VE HAD MULTIPLE FIRES WITH SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS THAT WERE NOT DISPOSED OF PROPERLY. THEY JUST PUT THEM RIGHT INTO THE GARBAGE CAN THAT GARBAGE CANS NEXT TO THE HOME THAT GOT GARBAGE CAN CATCHES ON FIRE AND CATCHES A HOUSE ON FIRE. WE’VE ACTUALLY HAD FATALITIES AS A RESULT. AND ALSO KEEP IN MIND SOME FIREWORKS. THEY MALFUNCTION. SOMETIMES WE HAVE FIREWORKS THAT MAY FAIL, SO IF YOU GO TO LIGHT THEM AND THE FUZE MAYBE BURNS OUT, IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOT RELIGHT THAT FUZE. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT FIREWORK SHOULD NOT BE LIT AGAIN. YOU RUN THE RISK OF POTENTIALLY HURTING YOURSELF OR HURTING THOSE AROUND YOU. LEGAL FIREWORKS CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED DURING A CERTAIN FEW DAYS, AND CALIFORNIA HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR THE SALE AND THE USE OF DANGEROUS FIREWORKS, WITH PUNISHMENTS UP TO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND POTENTIALLY FELONY CHARGES. FIREWORKS CAN BE FUN IF DONE LEGALLY AND SAFELY IN RANCHO CORDOVA. ERIN HEFT KCRA THREE NEWS NOW JUNE 28TH AT NOON IS THE FIRST TIME PEOPLE IN THE UNINCORPORATED PART OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY ARE ALLOWED TO BUY LEGAL FIREWORKS PURCHASES. END JULY 4TH AT 9 P.M. BOTH CITR
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Sac Metro Fire wants people to put safety first when lighting fireworks this summer
With the Fourth of July right around the corner, a rush to buy fireworks is to be expected.While lighting fireworks can be fun, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District is reminding people to use them safely and purchase them legally. "All fireworks are dangerous, especially if you're not using them as intended and not using the proper safety guidelines," said Parker Wilbourn, Sac Metro Fire spokesperson.Here are some of the most important tips from Sac Metro Fire on how to light fireworks safely: Make sure there is a 30-foot clearance in the area where you intend to light the fireworks so nothing catches on fire.Have a bucket full of water and a hose nearby and submerge the fireworks for 24 hours after using them.When you light fireworks, use a long handle tool and back away as quickly as possible.Do not re-light a firework if it malfunctions and the fuse goes out.Not properly using and disposing of fireworks can lead to serious injury and fires, Wilbourn said. For a demonstration of how to properly light fireworks, watch the video player above. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
With the Fourth of July right around the corner, a rush to buy fireworks is to be expected.
While lighting fireworks can be fun, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District is reminding people to use them safely and purchase them legally.
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"All fireworks are dangerous, especially if you're not using them as intended and not using the proper safety guidelines," said Parker Wilbourn, Sac Metro Fire spokesperson.
Here are some of the most important tips from Sac Metro Fire on how to light fireworks safely:
- Make sure there is a 30-foot clearance in the area where you intend to light the fireworks so nothing catches on fire.
- Have a bucket full of water and a hose nearby and submerge the fireworks for 24 hours after using them.
- When you light fireworks, use a long handle tool and back away as quickly as possible.
- Do not re-light a firework if it malfunctions and the fuse goes out.
Not properly using and disposing of fireworks can lead to serious injury and fires, Wilbourn said.
For a demonstration of how to properly light fireworks, watch the video player above.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
