Firework Safety Tips
We're heading into the weekend leading up to the Fourth of July and I couldn't be happier. Now it officially feels like summer.
Fireworks are of course a staple for the Fourth of July. In the past few years, since it became legal to sell fireworks in New York State, we have seen more and more of the white tents popping up around the Hudson Valley. Personally, I haven't bought anything but sparklers.
According to the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in New York we are now allowed to sell and purchase Sparkling Devices. These Sparkling Devices are defined as "Sparkling Devices are ground based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke. The law limits the type, size and construction of Sparkling Devices and requires that these devices must be hand held or mounted on a base or spike and be limited in sizes that range from 1 to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition."
- Always keep an approved fire extinguisher nearby during a display
- Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
- Purchase sparklers and novelty devices from NY State registered retailers
- Never use sparklers when under the influence of alcohol or drugs
In 2013 8 firework related deaths and 11,400 injuries. To purchase any type of firework you must be 18 years or older.
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