GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Green Bay Metro Fire Department responded to 7 fire calls related to fireworks during the 4th of July weekend, and they expect to see more in the coming weeks.
There was $179,000 in damage, but no deaths or injuries were reported due to people misusing fireworks in Green Bay over the weekend.
“The main thing that we saw this weekend in relation to the 4th of July was improper disposal of fireworks,” says Green Bay Metro Fire Lieutenant Shauna Walesh, “If you use them, if they were duds and didn’t light, or even if you’re just discarding them and they were not used, make sure that you douse them or soak them in water for a couple hours, or even better overnight, before throwing them in the trash.”
Walesh is issuing another reminder that some fireworks are illegal without a permit. Only two permits were granted within the city for this past weekend. And while there weren’t any injuries reported, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a common occurrence around this time of year.
“With those mortar shells, if one of them tips over, that is like an explosive going off. Every year in the emergency rooms the most common injuries that we see are to extremities and then the second closest is facial injuries,” Walesh tells WTAQ News, “44% of those injuries are burn injuries, and the closest burn unit is in Milwaukee.”
While Green Bay hasn’t seen any calls in relation to it – Walesh also advises caution about mixing fireworks and thorough personal hygiene. Hand sanitizer is also extremely flammable, and there were a number of reports across the country of people getting injured after sparks caught the sanitizer on their hands on fire.
Other important firework safety tips include:
- Always soak used, duds, and unused fireworks in water overnight before placing them in the trash.
- Keep a garden hose or a bucket of water nearby when using fireworks in case of malfunction or fire.
- Avoid using alcohol & drugs when using fireworks.
- Never allow children under the age of 5 to light fireworks or use sparklers; children this age are unlikely to comprehend and understand sparkler safety.
- Always have close adult supervision.
- Never try to relight “dud” fireworks. Leave them alone for 30 minutes before
approaching. - Maintain a safe distance while using fireworks.
- Keep your pets on a leash.
