Dry conditions worrisome with holiday fireworks

Cape Girardeau’s fire marshal, Greg Hecht, is hopeful for some precipitation before the approaching Independence Day weekend.

“We haven’t had any rain for over a week and the dry conditions are a concern,” said Hecht, who added he also has uneasiness about the use of some aerial fireworks.

“Any (firework) shot at a distance, even if an accidental discharge, brings the risk of fire,” added Hecht, who recalls a situation while serving as a firefighter with the City of Jackson.

“About 15 or 16 years ago, an aerial (firework) device landed in a flowerbox with rubberized mulch, which tends not to be fire-resistant,” he recalled. “If memory serves, the residence had vinyl siding and the resulting fire caused extensive damage to the home.”

Authorized days/hours

Residents in Cape Girardeau may use fireworks between the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday.

Fireworks may be sold in the city between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. through Sunday.

Cape Girardeau’s Code of City Ordinances identifies permissible fireworks in chapter 11 (Fire Prevention and Protection), which may be read at https://library.municode.com/mo/cape_girardeau/codes/code_of_ordinances.

Injury awareness

“The injuries most reported nationally are burn injuries as people hold on to a firework and it goes off in their hands. That’s the leading cause of injury,” Hecht said.

The city’s website advises sparklers burn at temperatures of 1,200 degrees or more, hot enough to melt some metals.

The website also offers the following guidance in the home use of fireworks:

• Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting a firework.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.

Additionally, the City of Cape Girardeau prohibits the sale and discharge of fireworks within a certain distance of schools, hospitals and gas pumps.