Officials stress safety on Fourth
By CARRIE FRILLMAN - cfrillman@daily-chroncie.com
While the Fourth of July is a day for celebration, officials warn that it is also a day to heed reminders about staying safe.
"The bottom line here is that by Illinois law and local ordinance, you're very limited in what you can do," said DeKalb Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Harrison. "Ideally, we want everyone to go to a professional display and enjoy it."
The National Fire Protection Association reports that more than 30,000 fires in the U.S. result from lighting fireworks on Independence Day. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that there were reports of seven fireworks-related deaths on the holiday last year and an estimated 7,000 injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms.
It's best to leave firework displays to professionals that are hired by municipalities, Harrison said.
During firework shows, residents should be particularly aware of their pets, advised Karen Grush, administrator with the DeKalb County Health Department.
“Each year many dogs panic from fireworks," she said in a written statement. "To a pet, fireworks are like a war zone – they only hear the explosions and become overwhelmed and terrified. They may become aggressive or break free and run."
Animals should be kept indoors, if possible, and allowed to find a safe place to stay, like a basement or under a bed, Grush said in the statement. Pets should not be chained up outside when fireworks are going off.
For those who stay at home this holiday weekend and are interested in novelty items, Harrison said sparklers, snakes and party poppers are permitted by state and local ordinance.
"But you have to be careful with those too," he said. "Sparklers, as fun as they are, burn at about 1,800 degrees. They're really cool but they are more of a hazard than you think."
Many firework injuries — about 45 percent — are suffered by those who are 15 years old or younger, Harrison said, and about three-quarters of all injuries are suffered by males.
"What we have here is a bunch of silly boys playing with fireworks on the Fourth of July," he said. "... People start having so much fun that they don't realize they are using a device that helps start things on fire."
The safest and only lawful option is to avoid firework use altogether, Harrison stressed.
