How to be ‘safe and sane’ with fireworks this Fourth of July
Fireworks sales began on Friday in booths set up across the Las Vegas Valley.
There are 110 fireworks booths in Clark County and 71 in the city of Las Vegas that are permitted to sell between June 28 and July 4.
How can residents safely use and light fireworks? Martin Casillas, a fire inspector for the Clark County Fire Department, inspected a Phantom Fireworks booth on Durango Drive and advised the public Friday on how to use them safely.
“Safe and Sane” fireworks are the only ones allowed to be sold by booths in Clark County and will have the “Safe and Sane” label.
“ ‘Safe and Sane’ products shouldn’t be lit in a grassy area, or an area that’s got dry bush,” Casillas said.
Casillas said an ideal area to light fireworks would be a concrete area or a blacktop surface that is away from vegetation. He also advises residents to have a garden hose nearby.
Murice Law from Outlaw Pyrotechnics, a fireworks store in Pahrump, advises customers to keep a bucket of water nearby and to dump used fireworks in the water before disposing of them.
“Be conscious of what you’re doing. Don’t use alcohol and fireworks. Those never mix well,” Law joked. “Light items from a safe distance. Never stand directly over a firework.”
Casillas offers another word of caution.
“Even though they’re ‘Safe and Sane,’ it’s still a pyrotechnic. A ‘Safe and Sane’ product is still dangerous and can still hurt someone,” he said.
Reporting illegal firework use
“As a fire chief, I have witnessed life-altering accidents caused by illegal fireworks,” Las Vegas Fire Department Chief Fernando Gray Sr. said in a news release.
“While we understand this is a festive day, we ask for the public’s assistance in keeping our community safe during the Fourth of July,” he said.
The county Fire Department asks the public to report illegal firework use to the 311 line or to ISpyFireworks.com.
Officials urge the public to keep the 911 line open for life-threatening emergencies during the July 4 holiday.
Contact Annie Vong at avong@reviewjournal.com.
