ORLANDO, Fla. – Many are ready to ring in the New Year with a bang but as a dry spell continues throughout Central Florida, the fire risk is high.
Polk County has issued a burn ban, which prohibits noncommercial fireworks. While other counties in the area have yet to do the same, the fire risk is moderate, and there is an increasing drought concern. People planning to set off fireworks this holiday are urged to be cautious.
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“Injuries that happen with fireworks mostly come from misuse and abuse.” said Mo Sopin, Phantom Fireworks Orlando assistant manager.
News 6 stopped by the Phantom Fireworks Orlando showroom to discuss safety. The company wants to reminds customers to celebrate safely by following “the ABCDWs of fireworks safety.”
The safety tips include:
- A - Adults only: Kids should never handle fireworks, even sparklers.
- B - Brace your product: Use bricks on either side of the fireworks to keep them stable and ensure they point away from the audience if they tip over.
- C - Common sense: Use good judgment and always err on the side of caution.
- D - Distance: Maintain at least 50 feet between ground-based fireworks and the audience, and 150 feet for aerial products.
- W - Water: Keep multiple water sources nearby, such as a hose and a bucket of water, and pre-wet the launch area.
“We do everything that we can so you can have a good time, so it’s up to the consumer to have common sense when it comes to shooting off the fireworks,” Sopin said.
Phantom Fireworks offers extensive safety information and protocols at Fireworks.com.