(KIWA Staff Photo)
Sheldon, Iowa — The 250th birthday of our nation is just days away, and northwest Iowans are getting ready to celebrate. People in some towns have had the privilege of lighting fireworks for several days already, and some will only have that privilege for a couple of days.
At any rate, Sheldon Fire Company Chief Brad Hindt has some reminders for us in regard to fireworks safety.
He says there are some other rules to remember.
In Sheldon, consumer fireworks can be used July 1st and 2nd from noon through 10 p.m.;
and July 3rd from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Except when July 3 falls on a Saturday or Sunday preceding July 4, in which fireworks are allowed between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. They can also be used on July 4th from 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. Click here for the fireworks rules in selected other northwest Iowa communities, or contact your city office for more information.
He says the fire department and ambulance service remain ready to help if something goes wrong, but the best course of action is to prevent accidents from happening in the first place.
He says igniting fireworks is a job that requires your full, unaltered attention.
Hindt says while we normally think of sparklers and snakes as the safest form of fireworks, and safe for children of all ages, sparklers can be very dangerous.
Sparklers are actually hotter than matches. The wood part of a match can reach 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, while some burning sparklers can reach 2000 degrees — hot enough to melt some metals — and can cause severe burns very quickly.
The National Fire Protection Association says children under 15 years of age account for nearly a third of fireworks injuries. They actually recommend that only professionals handle fireworks.
