Tulsa Fire Department Urges Caution With Fireworks This Fourth Of July

As the Fourth of July approaches, folks are starting to buy fireworks, and a Tulsa fire dispatcher said that means more 911 calls related to fireworks.

At a firework stand near Pine and Harvard, soon-to-be high school senior Alli Olmedo is waiting for customers.

"We work from 12 at night to 12 in the morning," Olmedo said.

She’s getting everything ready to make some sales to raise money for her church, but she said the fireworks she sells come with a warning.

"I do make sure to tell people like please don't shoot them at each other, this is fire you're playing with, it's very dangerous, don't play with fire," Olmedo said.

Even with those warnings, accidents involving fireworks happen every year, and some can be dangerous.

At the Tulsa 911 Dispatch Center, folks will be taking all sorts of calls over the next few weeks, but as the 4th of July approaches, some of those calls will be firework related.

"Kids a lot of times will set fireworks off and start grass fires," said fire dispatcher Rebecca Thompson.

Thompson has been answering phones here for over 20 years. She knows based on the calls she's answered that fireworks can be dangerous.

"Little kids even using sparklers, you know, little kids will grab hold of the sparkler and burn themselves," Thompson said.

She said when using fireworks, have water nearby in case a fire happens, and if something does happen call 911 immediately so help can get there soon.

Alli Olmedo hopes if you do buy fireworks this year, it's from her stand.

"We have a lot, we'd love to have you guys, we're nice," said Olmedo.