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“While we encourage our residents to observe the holiday with friends and family members at backyard barbecues and parties, we also ask that you be safe, follow the law and take the proper precautions,"Odell said in a press release. "Leave the fireworks displays to the professionals and be mindful when using sparklers or other permitted novelty items.”
The county allows people to use sparklers and similar devices, both ground-based and handheld, that emit a shower of sparks.
Commissioner of the Bureau of Emergency Services Anthony Sutton pointed out some of the dangerous statistics of using fireworks.
The truth is sparklers burn as hot as a blow torch (up to 2,000 degrees) and accounted for 26 percent of the all emergency room firework related emergency room visits in 2014, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Thirty-five percent of those injured by fireworks in 2014 were under the age of 15 and 81 percent of those injuries resulted from fireworks that federal regulations permit consumers to use,” according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Deputy Emergency Services Commissioner Bob Lipton reminded residents of the importance of watching young revelers when using fireworks.
“You can have a festive celebration and be safe by observing some simple precautions and exercising constant supervision,” Lipton said in a press release.
A list of what types of fireworks are permitted by law in the county is available here, and upcoming fireworks displays in the county are listed at www.tourputnam.org/fireworks-displays-in-putnam.
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