By By Adrienne McKenzie
Extreme caution should be taken when shooting fireworks this Fourth of July due to lack of precipitation in the Atmore area.
Atmore Fire and Rescue chief Gerry McGhee said he strongly discourages people to pop fireworks, which have become an American staple for Independence Day.
"I would like for people not to shoot fireworks because we are still under a burn ban," McGhee said. "We haven't had enough rain to lift the fire ban yet. But, even though you can't buy fireworks within the city limits it's not against the law to shoot them within the city limits. People are not banned from shooting them ,but it's recommended not to."
Although McGhee wishes people would stay away from the colorful and loud bursts of pyrotechnics, he said he knows fireworks are fun and that people are still going to shoot them. He had some safety tips for those who are going to go through with the traditional Fourth of July festivities.
"If people do shoot fireworks they should be very careful," he said. "They should be sure to stay outside long enough to make sure the fireworks don't start a fire and they should also be sure to keep an eye on the fireworks."
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Council on Fireworks Safety offer the following safety tips for individuals ready to party on the Fourth of July:
According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks will cause thousands of fires and millions of dollars in direct property damage in a single year. In 2003, there was an estimated 2,300 reported vehicle or structure fires that were started by fireworks. The fires started by the fireworks caused $58 million in direct property damage to buildings.
For more information about firework safety, visit http://www.nfpa.org/.