The Fourth of July is almost here, and that means there will be more people doing different outdoor activities, including shooting off fireworks, boating and traveling.
With this increase in activities, Columbia County Fire Rescue has some tips on how to stay safe. Chief Danny Kuhlmann, operations chief of Columbia County Fire Rescue, said that while fireworks are beautiful to watch, they can be dangerous, so for people using them make sure to be on a hard surface, such as a road, parking lot or dirt field.
“No dry grass or anything,” Kuhlmann said. “Have a bucket or hose handy to extinguish burnt or spent shells and stuff like that, sparkers or whatever. Make sure you’ve got a good, wide-open area, not around houses or trees or woods, anything like that. The main thing is, don’t let children handle the fireworks because these fuses on them, they can be unpredictable, they may try to relight them. That’s how a lot of injuries occur.”
Kuhlmann said nationwide there is an average of 19,000 house fires every year in the United States and many more injuries from fireworks.
“The burns and the damage that the body receives from a firework is horrific,” Kuhlmann said. “You boil water at 212 degrees, you bake a cake at 300 degrees, glass melts at 900 degrees, a sparkler that you hand a 5-year-old burns at 1200 degrees. So, if he just touches it for a millisecond he’s going to get burned.”
If a firework does not detonate, Kuhlmann said to leave it alone because it could discharge later.
“Once you’ve waited five or 10 minutes, I would take that firework and completely submerse it in a bucket of water,” Kuhlmann said. “Especially the sparklers because they’re made with steel rods in them and if they’re in the roadway they can puncture, be picked up by tires and puncture a tire.”
In Columbia County, Kuhlmann said there aren’t many calls around the Fourth of July, approximately five or six that mainly have to do with fires.
“If you discharge a firework and it gets on top of the roof of a house, if there’s any pine straw or stuff like that it could set the house on fire,” Kuhlmann said. “That’s the reason it’s good to have a hose handy along with a bucket of water…we’ve been lucky, don’t remember any injuries last year that I can think of.”
When shooting off fireworks, there is a noise ordinance dictating the times they can be used, with the county following the state ordinance. The ordinance states the fireworks can be used up until 11:59 p.m. on July 4.
Another safety tip Kuhlmann provided was to give children protection for their ears when they are watching fireworks.
“A good safety item for children is headphones or earplugs because if something detonates close the decibels from that noise can rupture ear drums,” Kuhlmann said.
Kuhlmann added that if someone has a veteran as a neighbor, they should check with them to see if they are okay with fireworks.
“It’s good to ask your neighbor if he’s a veteran, especially if he just got back from overseas that you would be firing these off and does he have a problem with it, does he or she have a problem with it,” Kuhlmann said.
But people aren’t the only ones that can have issues with fireworks. Many animals don’t like the loud noises either and the Columbia County Animal Shelter has some tips on how to prepare them.
“Columbia County Animal Services is dedicated to promoting the well-being of pets, especially during times of heightened stress and anxiety, such as fireworks displays,” according to a statement by Animal Services. “As the festive season approaches, it is important for pet owners to be aware of the potential dangers and take necessary precautions to keep their furry friends safe.”
These include keeping the pet indoors, providing distractions, offering a quiet place, using a leash or carrier, practice fire safety, taking the pet for walks before the fireworks begin, making sure the animal has proper identification and utilizing lost pet resources if the animal does end of getting lost.
Keeping pets in a secure indoor environment is important because the loud noises could scare them and lead to injuries or escape, according to animal services. Distractions, such as closing the curtain or blinds and turning on the TV or radio can help with a pet’s anxiety because it could help dampen noise. Treats filled with the animal’s favorite food can also provide a distraction.
If you need to go outside, using a leash or keeping the pet in carrier will keep them safe if they are startled by the loud noise, Animal Services advised. Also, taking pets for walks before fireworks begin is recommended because some might be too scared to go outside during them. Because animals are curious, it’s important to keep them away from any open fires, matches or fireworks.
It’s important to have proper identification on a pet in case they get lost during the celebrations that way they can be reunited with their owners, Animal Services said. If an animal does get lost, there are many local Facebook groups, Facebook CSRA lost animal groups and a full listing of pets can be found at https://columbiacountyga.gov/animals.
Besides fireworks, people are encouraged to take precautions when going boating out on the lake. Kuhlmann said there’s usually fireworks out on the lake which means more people out there when it’s dark. To stay safe, he encourages everyone to use extreme caution when boating and to wear a lifejacket, especially since it will be nighttime.
Besides boating, many people enjoy grilling over the Fourth of July, and Kuhlmann said to make sure kids stay away from grills so they don’t accidently get burned. He added that grills should be on a hard surface and a wooden deck on the back porch of the house is not an ideal spot because it could catch on fire.
“We do go to a couple of those a year,” Kuhlmann said. “If it’s a gas grill make sure all the propane lines are in good service condition. Don’t dump any charcoal or anything like that into the yard when you get done grilling, just let it burn out and again it’s always good to have a fire extinguisher or water hose around, close by.”
As for those on the road, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Major Steve Morris said to make sure the vehicle is working properly, buckle up, ldon’t drink and drive, follow the speed limit, stay alert and put any distractions away.
Stephanie Hill is a staff writer covering Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
