If you do decide to buy legal fireworks, be responsible, prepared, safe

As fire chief of the City of Houston Fire Department, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy Independence Day. I also urge everyone using fireworks to be sure they are doing so legally. Fireworks are illegal in south central Alaska outside of the City of Houston except a small window around the New Year’s holiday. In Houston, they can be used year-round unless restricted by the Houston fire chief or the state’s fire marshal. What changes for the holiday, though, is the hours: although Houston has a noise ordinance that normally bans their use after 10:00pm on weekdays and 11:00pm on weekends, users are permitted to use them until 1:00am daily for a seven day period starting the day before the holiday and ending three days after the holiday.

It is also recommended for people living in higher density neighborhoods to consider using quieter fireworks. When purchasing fireworks, ask for fireworks without reports (reports are the loud bangs at the end of the firework). Quieter fireworks are more courteous to your neighbors; especially veterans and other people who experience PTSD, wildlife, and pets in our city. Remember we are all part of a community, and we should give the respect that we expect from one another.

If you do decide to buy legal fireworks, be sure to follow the three Be’s:

Be Responsible· You are responsible for any fire you start.

· Except for New Year’s, fireworks are illegal in the Mat-Su outside of Houston city limits

· In the city, fireworks may only be used on private property with the property owner’s permission

· Fireworks may not be fired off after 1am for 7 day period starting three days prior to the holiday

Be Prepared· Know the local laws at all times and follow them

· Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap

· Soak spent fireworks with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding to prevent a trash fire

Be Safe· Never use homemade fireworks

· Never modify any firework for any reason

· Light one item at a time, then move away quickly

· Never point or throw fireworks at another person

· Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers

· Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not gone off or fully functioned

· Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse

Don’t underestimate the small fireworks. Sparklers and fountains alone account for one-quarter (25 percent) of emergency room fireworks injuries nationwide according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. An adult who innocently puts a metal-tipped sparkler in the hands of a child may not realize that some sparklers burn at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. To put this in perspective, steel will warp, melt, and sag at 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit. The touch of a lit sparkler can ignite a child’s clothing, causing third degree burns within seconds. This risk can be easily decreased by asking for wood sparklers instead of metal.

Houston code related to fireworks can be found at the city’s website, and go to HMC 8.05 Fireworks Control.