As another fireworks sales season begins, the State Fire Marshal’s Office is encouraging Louisiana residents to not only be safe when using fireworks, but knowledgeable when buying them.
And, Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot urged people to be safe when using fireworks, which are allowed to be discharged in the city limits from June 25 to July 5 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Penny or bottle rockets are forbidden, he said.
In a news release from the fire marshal, more than 500 retail fireworks permits have been issued for the 2019 Fourth of July season, as it is state law for wholesale and retail fireworks business operators to be appropriately licensed by the fire marshal, in the parishes and municipalities where they are legally allowed. The sales season extends through July 4.
The fire marshal encourages, first and foremost, that families to choose to enjoy public fireworks displays over creating their own.
“However, if purchasing fireworks is your preference, we advise families to be mindful of whether the stand they are purchasing from has been permitted by this office. You can request to see permitting information from any retail fireworks business you patron. The SFM encourages reporting any suspicious or illegal sales of fireworks to 1-800-256-5452 or by visiting our website, lasfm.org,” the news release stated.
A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that over 200 people on average go the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4 holiday, the fire marshal stated.
To avoid becoming part of this statistic, the fire marshal advises:
Detonating devices at least 200 feet away from structures, vehicles and rubbish;
Never allowing children to light fireworks;
Never operating fireworks while impaired;
Lighting devices one at a time and monitoring embers released with a bucket of water or hose nearby; and
Discarding detonated items by wetting them down to prevent reignition and not disposing of them in a trash container immediately.
