Firework tips as you pop into the New Year

(KXII) -As we pop into the New Year, there’s safety rules we should keep in mind before we light fireworks this weekend.

Denison Fire Captain Landon Lindsey said, “they can be dangerous, they’re explosives that you’re holding.”

First ensure your popping location allows fireworks to be fired as it’s illegal to pop fireworks in most city limits.

Then, find a safe place, away from tall grass.

PopaLot Fireworks Co-owner, Pam Schuler said, “just be sure that you have a nice clear area.”

Once you find a safe and legal space to set off the fireworks; Captain Lindsey said you’ll want to have water handy to keep your New Year’s celebration safe, “good idea is that have a five gallon bucket full of water next to you, if you have fireworks that don’t go off or its still smoking, throw it in there.”

You can even place the fireworks on a platform to keep them off the ground.

Schuler added, “when it’s windy, all it takes for something to be you know, lit up and then it just spreads.”

News 12′s Chief Meteorologist Steve LaNore said around 6 p.m. on New Years Eve, we could experience wind gusts in the teens.

“Anything over like 15 miles per hour it’s going to blow it off its trajectory, one thing you might want to be mindful of, if you shoot a rocket up or a firework that goes high enough and the wind blows it on your neighbors house, and catching your neighbors house on fire, you’re responsible for that house,” said Captain Lindsey.

Captain Lindsey added that parents should keep a close eye on children.

“You don’t wanna point fireworks at each other and shoot fireworks at each other, that’s not a good idea, you’re asking for injury, you’re asking for something to go wrong,” Captain Lindsey said.

And you should never hold the fireworks as they go off, “if you’re holding fireworks in your hand, you can blow your hand apart,” Captain Lindsey added.

And if you’re lighting a sparkler, “we always say either stick the end into a carrot, that’s one way to do it, another way is to take a paper cup, put it through the paper cup and hold it that way, and that way the sparks don’t hit your hand,” Schuler said.

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