With preparations underway for New Year’s Eve celebrations, city authorities are giving tips for you to think twice before playing with fireworks and sparklers.
Even sparklers can get as hot as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, said Lieutenant Pete Sanchez with the City of Miami Fire Rescue.
“2,000 degrees Fahrenheit can burn metal, so imagine what it can do to a child’s hand," Sanchez said.
According to Sanchez, last year, there were over 10,200 emergencies related to fireworks nationwide.
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The following tips should help keep families safe when handling fireworks this New Year's Eve:
- Buy fireworks from authorized distributors following local ordinances.
- Make sure fireworks are lit outside on a flat, cemented surface with a hose or bucket of water nearby.
- Adults should be handling the fireworks.
- Children must be supervised at all times.
- Those handling fireworks should wear gloves and protective eyewear.
- When you’re done using sparklers, make sure you spray them down with water, otherwise they could still reignite.
Fireworks that shoot up in the air are illegal in Miami-Dade County and should be handled by professionals, which is why authorities recommend going to local New Year's Eve celebrations.
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Shooting a gun in the air is also illegal. Even if just for fun, it’s still a criminal offense.
“People shoot up firearms to celebrate, but it comes down and it can injure someone or even kill somebody," said Officer Rafael Horta with Miami Police.
The saying "What goes up, must come down" especially applies to bullets
“You don’t want to ring in the new year in the hospital, and you don’t want to ring in the new year in jail," Horta said.
