‘Safe and Sane’: County warns against use of illegal fireworks

In the parking lot of a Vons grocery store, at the intersection of Bermuda Road and Windmill Lane, Martin Casillas, an inspector with the Clark County Fire Department, stood in front of a Phantom Fireworks stand and gave his cyclical message for residents of the valley in anticipation of Independence Day: Don’t be stupid about fireworks.

Casillas was there to inspect the stand and make sure it follows Clark County regulations, which strictly enforce fireworks safety around holidays such as the Fourth of July.

“We provide a list of check items for each individual booth so they know what they need to have,” Casillas said. “We look for fire extinguishers, ‘No Smoking’ signs, we make sure that they don’t have extension cords that are unapproved. We also asked for them to make sure that anybody in the booth is 14 years or older.”

Wednesday makes the first day of the weeklong period Fourth of July fireworks are legal to buy in Clark County — and officials have launched the You Light It, We Write It campaign to urge caution in both the purchasing and use of fireworks.

The campaign urges people to only buy fireworks with a “Safe and Sane” label, to ensure they are approved by the county. These typically include sparklers and fireworks that don’t launch into the sky. The campaign also requests that those who want to report illegal fireworks do so online or call 311, rather than calling 911 and potentially slowing down police resources.

No fireworks will be allowed at any parks or public lands — such as Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Clark County Wetlands Park or Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

The high point for wildfire risk in Nevada runs from May to October, according to Clark County. Casillas also said illegal fireworks could be a nuisance to pet owners or those suffering from PTSD.

Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said in a statement that illegal fireworks pose a serious risk to public safety.

“They can cause fires and injuries and many people and pets are highly sensitive to the loud explosions caused by fireworks. We are asking people to only use safe and sane fireworks as part of your neighborhood and family celebrations. Leave the big shows to the pros.”

Casillas recommended that people have a water bucket or garden hose handy in case an unexpected fire breaks out. He also said the most common fireworks-related injury he’s seen in his 21 years with the fire department were burnt hands because “people are holding (fireworks) when they light them.”

On the evenings of July 3 and July 4, fire inspectors will begin to patrol the county and issue citations to those using illegal fireworks — which would be a minimum of $500 or a maximum of $10,000 for large amounts. The fire department will be joined by Metro Police, and they will focus their efforts on neighborhoods that have a history of fires related to firework use, Captain Timothy Hatchett said in a statement.

Only nonprofit groups are allowed to sell fireworks for fundraising. On its website, Phantom Fireworks advertises collaboration with religious or charitable organizations to raise money and says it can provide stands and tents, liability insurance and free advertising.

The Clark County Fire Department has issued 109 permits for fireworks vendors this season — all for either TNT or Phantom brands. Casillas said a team of 20 inspectors is expected to visit each vendor over the week.

Contact Christian Casale at ccasale@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4551. Follow @vanityhack on Twitter.