County Fire Marshal advises caution when using fireworks

With New Year’s Eve only a day away, Hays County residents may be gearing up to welcome in the new year with fireworks.

Hays County Fire Marshal Mark Wobus is advising residents to use caution when using fireworks this year.

“We ask that citizens use caution when discharging fireworks around friends and family and supervise all children that are allowed to handle sparklers or fireworks,” Wobus said.

Although Hays County isn't currently under a burn ban, Wobus stated that the recent freezing temperatures over the Christmas holiday has dried out an abundance of grass, making the fire potential higher.

The use of fireworks is illegal in San Marcos city limits.

The Hays County Fire Marshal’s office offers the following tips for firework users:

• Children should not use fireworks. Make sure an adult is always watching.
• Remember: Alcohol and fireworks are a bad mix.
• Follow the instructions on the firework.
• Avoid shooting fireworks near dry grass, brush, or other materials that can easily catch on fire.
• Never aim fireworks where they could land on a house or hit a person.
• Have a bucket of water, garden hose, or other water source ready for emergencies.
• Cleanup your fireworks debris but always allow the debris to soak in a bucket of water for several hours before dumping in the trash can.  Never store your trash can near or inside your home/garage after dumping fireworks debris into it.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 2018 Fireworks Annual Report, over 19,500 reported fires are started by fireworks annually; burns account for 44% of 9,100 injuries treated in emergency rooms in the month around July 4; Half of fireworks injuries seen at emergency rooms involved extremities — hand, finger or leg — and one-third were to the eye or head; children ages 10-14 had the highest rate of fireworks injury at 36%; and sparklers account for roughly one fourth of emergency room fireworks injuries.

Visit https://bit.ly/3Q0sI2i for more firework tips from the fire marshal’s office.

Additional reporting by Zoe Gottlieb