The Magic of Fireworks

The magic of fireworks--The splendor that turns the neighborhood into a fabulous display of lights, colors and sounds--The excitement and thrill seen on the children's faces, not to mention the grown children. But all the excitement can turn into a nightmare if used improperly. Don't let the exciting celebration of our country's freedom turn into a devastating trauma. It's easy to have a memorable celebration and stay save by following a few simple suggestions.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety (NCFS) urge you to put safety first when celebrating this Fourth of July. Because of stringent federal safety standards enacted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, legal fireworks are safer then ever and, in fact, the incidence of firework related injuries have dramatically decreased in the last 10 years.

Legal fireworks conform to the standards given by The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Illegal ones often don't. Only use legal fireworks. Be sure you can recognize legal fireworks from the illegal ones. The CPSC requires that legal fireworks show the name of the item, the name of the manufacturer or distributor and easy-to-read cautionary labeling and instructions for proper use. Currently, 32 states, including North
Carolina and South Carolina, allow the use of some or all types of consumer fireworks, including cones, fountains, and sparklers. It is suggested you contact the local police or fire department to make sure your fireworks are legal in your area. State laws for your state can be found at
www.fireworksafety.com/statelaws/index.html .

Illegal devices include M80s, M100s and silver salutes and have been federally banned since 1966 because of the large amounts of illegal explosives they contain. These fireworks can usually be differentiated from legal fireworks in that they are usually unlabeled, will not bear a caution statement and will not list the manufacturer's name. They can be very dangerous and turn your backyard celebration into a backyard

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