The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Metro

Discussion

June 30, 2009

Fireworks go on sale today in Joplin









From staff reports

news@joplinglobe.com

Light those fuses.

Fireworks are legal today through July 4 within the city limits of Joplin. They can be sold and shot through Saturday.

City ordinances allow fireworks, except bottle rockets, to be discharged from noon until 11 p.m. daily. Bottle rockets are outlawed within the city limits.

All fireworks are banned from Landreth Park on Friday and Saturday while the city’s annual Freedom Fest celebration is being set up and conducted.

Joplin’s fire marshal, Andy Roughton, outlined safety rules in a news release issued by the city.

Roughton said he and a representative of the city’s building codes department will start at 7:30 a.m. today inspecting fireworks stands in tents. He said 17 stands inside the city will open today in tents or other temporary quarters.

“We will be doing a final inspection of them, and make sure they have all their safety devices and are ready to go,” Roughton said. Those items include fire extinguishers, state permits, proof of insurance, and clear aisles and exits. They also must have signs forbidding smoking and shooting fireworks near the tents.

In addition, the building inspector will look at the stands’ electrical hookups and lines to make sure they meet safety codes and current standards, Roughton said.

Roughton, in the written release, recommends:

n Fireworks should be shot according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and children should be supervised by an adult if they use any fireworks.

n The area where fireworks are shot should be clear of trees, power lines, buildings and any other obstruction. They should not be set off where there is tall grass or weeds, and where trash, wood or yard debris are piled.

n A bucket of water, a garden hose or a fire extinguisher should be handy in case a fire or threat of fire is sparked.

n Duds should not be handled immediately. Let them lie for at least several minutes in case their ignition is delayed.

“When you’re done with the fireworks, make sure you soak them or spray them down real good before you dispose of them in a trash receptacle to make sure they aren’t smoldering,” Roughton said.

Pets also are to be considered during the fireworks season, according to the Southeast Kansas Humane Society in Pittsburg.

That organization, in a news release, recommends that pets be left in a secure room at home or boarded at a safe kennel or veterinary clinic rather than kept in a yard while fireworks are being shot. Pets should wear identification tags.

Vets also may prescribe medication to keep animals calm if they are extremely agitated by the noise, the organization said.





Fire safety



Anyone with questions about fireworks or fire safety may call the Joplin fire marshal, Andy Roughton, at 624-0820, ext. 1307.

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