Officials Urge Public To Attend Professional Fireworks Displays

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ American flags, family cookouts and fireworks have become synonymous with Americans' celebration of Independence Day, but city and state fire officials are urging the public to

Monday, July 3rd 2006, 5:58 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ American flags, family cookouts and fireworks have become synonymous with Americans' celebration of Independence Day, but city and state fire officials are urging the public to forego backyard firecrackers for shows put on by professionals.

Richard Walts, an agent for the state fire marshal's office, said the dry conditions have fire departments on the lookout for an increase in fires this year.

Oklahoma City and other cities in the state have had fireworks restrictions in place for many years, according to the Oklahoma City fire marshal's office. Residents haven't been able to possess or use fireworks anywhere in the city for more than 20 years.

In previous years, it was even illegal for residents purchase and transport fireworks through the city, but laws passed during the recent legislative session supersede the city law.

People can now purchase fireworks and travel through the city with them as long as they are in their original package. Police officers would previously set up near fireworks stands and cite customers as they brought fireworks back into the city.

It's still illegal to discharge fireworks in Oklahoma City, but other metro-area cities allow their residents to possess and use fireworks inside city limits.

Mustang, located southwest of Oklahoma City, allows residents to buy and discharge fireworks inside city limits.

Mustang Fire Chief Carl Hickman said residents need to be extra cautious because of the dry conditions, and people should take advantage of the free shows put on by professionals.

``We would really encourage people to attend public displays that are put on by the professional fireworks people,'' Hickman said. ``But it is lawful to use consumer fireworks within the city.''

About 5 miles north of Norman, red, white and blue flags flapped in the summer breeze as children pulled their parents into the large white warehouse at Jake's Fireworks, one of hundreds of fireworks outlets selling everything from sparklers to roman candles.

Ed Moses, manager of Jake's Fireworks, said the public fireworks displays don't have much of an effect on the fireworks industry.

``The public displays could have an effect, but it hasn't so far,'' Moses said. ``The only thing about them is that they are a lot bigger.''

Fire dangers aren't the only reason fire officials are urging people to attend the professional displays.

Last year, there were 16 fireworks-related injuries reported within Oklahoma City, most of them minor, according to city fire marshal statistics. In the metro area, 29 injuries were reported from hospitals.

In 2004, 9,600 injuries were reported nationwide as a result of fireworks, and 40 percent of those injuries were to children under age 15, according to statistics released by the U.S. Fire Administration. The leading contributors to these injuries are firecrackers, sparklers and rockets.

Walts said certain fireworks such as stick rockets, bottle rockets and M-80s are banned in Oklahoma for safety reasons. He said other fireworks pose a danger also, but misuse plays a major factor in that.

``Roman candles, sparklers, stupidity _ with the drought conditions, anything can start a fire,'' Walts said. ``Roman candles and reloadable tubes are two of the products that are very dangerous if improperly handled.''

And the tubes are top-selling items at fireworks stands.

Moses said the tubes are the large aerial displays that are extremely popular, including the Excalibur and the MOAB, or Mother of All Bombs.

Tracey Miner, of Noble, had a full shopping cart _ including the Excalibur _ at Jake's Fireworks. He said he agrees with the fire marshals about safety concerns.

``I think some of the bigger stuff ought to be under supervision for safety,'' Miner said.

He said he discharges the aerial displays for the children in his family, but he makes sure he teaches them about fire safety and precautions.