MFRD Offers Fireworks Safety Tips Ahead of Fourth of July Holiday
Fireworks are a staple of the Fourth of July holiday, but they can also be dangerous. The Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) is urging residents to take the necessary precautions to keep themselves and others safe.
Each year, MFRD personnel respond to several fires started by fireworks as well as fireworks related injury accidents.
“Please follow safe operating instructions when using fireworks,” said MFRD Fire Marshal Brian Lowe. “It only takes a moment to turn a fun event into a trip to the emergency department.”
According to the National Fire Protection Agency, sparklers account for more than 25-percent of emergency department visits for fireworks injuries. Children under five make up half of those sparkler injuries.
CITY FIREWORKS REGULATIONS
Residents are only allowed to use fireworks in the city limits of Murfreesboro on July 3rd, 4th, and 5th between the hours of 10 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Seasonal sales of fireworks within the city limits of Murfreesboro are only permitted from June 28 – July 5 from State-approved retailers. MFRD’s Fire Marshal’s Office inspected 16 fireworks retail sites Wednesday, June 26.
FIREWORKS SAFETY
The National Fire Protection Association estimates there were 19,500 fires started by fireworks in the United States in 2018.
MFRD encourages residents to enjoy public displays of fireworks instead of risking injury using consumer fireworks. The location of the Celebration Under the Starts Fireworks display is being held at The Fountains on Medical Center Parkway, Thursday, July 4. The entertainment begins at 4:30 p.m. and the Fireworks Show at 9 p.m. Parking will be permitted in the lot across the street this year.
If citizens choose to use consumer fireworks, MFRD offers the following safety tips:
- Always purchase your fireworks from reliable sources.
- Only light fireworks outdoors on a smooth, flat surface away from homes, dry leaves and flammable materials.
- Read and follow all instructions, warnings and use common sense.
- Keep a garden hose or bucket of water nearby in case of a fire or malfunction.
- Wear eye protection.
- Never allow children to handle or ignite fireworks.
- Never try to re-light fireworks that have not fully functioned.
- Sparklers are not toy items and cause hundreds of injuries every year. Sparklers burn hot, can reach temperatures as high as 1,200° F, and stay hot long after they’ve burned out. You wouldn’t hand a matchbook or lighter to a child to wave around or play with, so don’t give a child a sparkler.
PROHIBITED FIREWORKS
The City of Murfreesboro has banned residents from using bottle rockets, reloadable mortars, and sky lanterns.
