Officials urge: Handle fireworks with care

Saturday marked the first day of allowed sales and use of fireworks this season in Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

As people load up on sparklers and firecrackers, public safety officials remind everyone to observe a few safety precautions and be aware of city ordinances.

Cape Girardeau and Jackson allow certain fireworks to be used from June 27 through July 4. The hours of allowed use are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., except July 4, when fireworks may be discharged until midnight. Fireworks may be sold on those dates from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The sale or use of "aerial devices," which include bottle rockets and other fireworks with straight, rigid sticks attached to stabilize flight, is prohibited in both cities. Both also require any users younger than 17 to have a parent or guardian present before discharging or igniting fireworks.

Mark Starnes, battalion chief of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, said bottle rockets are prohibited because they cannot be controlled.

"Our biggest reason on why we pursued no bottle rockets is there's no way of knowing where they will go or where they will end up," he said. "It could either injure someone, catch someone's residence on fire or catch someone's car on fire."

The department had one such incident of a car fire, he said, that was caused after the firework entered the car's open window.

With any fireworks, users should be aware of their surroundings before igniting them. Keep clear of any flammable liquids or gasses, Starnes said, and be cautious of any potentially flammable items in neighboring lawns, such as brush piles.

"We've been lucky that we've got a good amount of rain recently, but give us a few good days of no rain and wind, and everything could dry back up," he said.

Cape Girardeau also restricts the use of fireworks within 100 feet of any gas pump or filling station, 300 feet of any fireworks retail sales location, 600 feet of any hospital building and 600 feet of a church or school.

Jackson prohibits the use of fireworks in any municipal park or other city-owned property at any time without authorization from the mayor and board of aldermen.

Starnes said most rules on the books regarding fireworks are common sense. That's why public safety departments stress caution, require adult supervision for children and ask users not to consume alcohol while igniting fireworks.

"Almost every year, we do have some type of fireworks injury," he said.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports 200 people on average go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the weeks around the July 4 holiday. The commission's data from 2012 show more than half of those injuries were burns.

If an article of clothing catches fire while handling fireworks, Starnes said to remember "stop, drop and roll" to put out the flames. It also is important to seek medical attention for serious burns, he said.

"If it's a significant burn, go to hospital to see how bad it is," he said. "Don't just try to treat yourself if it's a significant burn."

Those with questions about fireworks use may call the Jackson Police Department at 243-3151 or the Cape Girardeau Fire Department at 339-6330.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Jackson, Mo.

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Fireworks use and sale

• Fireworks may be used in Cape Girardeau and Jackson between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. June 27 to July 3 and from 10 a.m. to midnight July 4.
• Fireworks may be sold in Cape Girardeau and Jackson from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day from June 27 to July 4.