Firework sales, regulations and safety issues are working their way into the minds of the Muskogee people as July Fourth draws closer.

Gary Garvin, Muskogee City Planner, said firework sales have started and will continue until July 6.

Jeff Hiller, owner of the Castle of Muskogee, said that even though they opened this past Wednesday, most of their business will be done from July 1 through July 4.

“We’d love people to come out early when we can give them more personal attention,” Hiller said.

Garvin said even though there’s a long sale date, the date for setting off the fireworks is short.

“You can only pop them on the fourth from 9 in the morning until 11 at night,” Garvin said.

If they receive a complaint of fireworks set off outside of that time frame, the police department will come out and give the person a citation for violation.

“I don’t know if they’ll take them (the fireworks) away on the first violation,” Garvin said. “If there are multiple violations, then they probably would.”

Garvin said anyone under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult when setting off fireworks.

Garvin said the fireworks must be set off on the user’s property or can be set off at someone else’s property with their consent.

“For cleanup, the owner or occupant allowing discharge must be responsible for disposal on or before 9 in the morning on July fifth,” Garvin said. “Everything needs to be cleared or cleaned up by nine the next morning.”

Garvin said there may be fireworks displays around town open to the public, but a city-planned event is not on the schedule this year.

“We’re not doing a Fourth of July celebration this year,” said Mark Wilkerson, Muskogee Parks and Recreation director. “We haven’t done one for several years. I don’t think we’ll do one any longer.”

Wilkerson said funding is the reason behind the issue.

“Since we’ve been strapped for operating funds, it’s been our position that it’s not something that we should be doing,” Wilkerson said.

But, the First Assembly of God Church, 3100 Gulick St., will be hosting their annual Freedom Celebration, which is free and open to the public.

Toby Webb, Muskogee Fire Marshal, is concerned with firework safety this year since most of the Fourth of July celebrations will be done by families at home.

“The main thing is being safe when they’re conducting fireworks,” Webb said. “Children of a certain age shouldn’t be doing fireworks.”

Webb said the biggest issue with fireworks is burns from mishandling fireworks.

Hiller said fireworks injuries have decreased over the years because of a new timed fuse.

“Each fuse lasts for six or nine seconds,” Hiller said. “It’s extremely hard to hurt yourself with these fireworks. You’d have to work at it.”

Webb said following a few safety tips can prevent injury.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention website said that in 2008, seven people died and an estimated 7,000 were treated in emergency departments for fireworks related injuries in the United States.

Reach Liberty Walker at (918) 684-2920 or walkerls@nsuok.edu.

Safety tips

• Observe all warnings and instructions when using fireworks.

• Never light more than one firework at a time.

• Make sure people are out of range of the firework before lighting.

• Make sure to set off the firework on a smooth surface away from homes or combustible materials such as grass, dry leaves...etc.

• Keep water near where you are lighting fireworks.

• If a firework does not go off, do not attempt to light it again.

• Malfunctioning fireworks should be doused heavily before being discarded.

• Never point fireworks at anyone.

• Do not carry fireworks in pockets or shoot them in any metal or glass container.

• Children should not handle sparklers.

• Use fireworks as they are intended; do not take them apart and try to make a bigger firework.

• Older kids who use fireworks should be closely supervised by an adult.

• Have a first aid kit on hand.

• Go to one of the locations where they are doing a professional fireworks display.



Source: Fire Marshal Toby Webb