KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Wednesday, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety issued a list of winter holiday safety guidelines for residents to consider.
“Kalamazoo Public Safety would like to remind residents and visitors of the City of Kalamazoo that incorporating a few basic safety steps can provide for a safe and enjoyable holiday as well as help prevent an unnecessary injury or fire,” officials said in a statement. “Additionally, the City of Kalamazoo has adopted rules and regulations relative to when and where consumer fireworks can be used.”
Electric Heater and Food Warmer Safety:
- Keep anything that could catch on fire at least 3 feet away from portable space heaters and hotplates.
- Create a three-foot “kid-free zone” around space heaters and the cooking area.
- Never leave portable space heaters or hotplates unattended while in use.
- Turn off hotplates and warmers when not in use.
- Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or when you’re going to sleep.
KDPS also reminds residents to make sure their homes are fully equipped with working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, noting that smoke alarms do not detect carbon monoxide (CO).
Risks of private fireworks use:
According to the National Fire Protection Association (based on 2018 data), the risk of fire death relative to hours of usage is higher for fireworks than for cigarettes, making fireworks the riskiest consumer product.
- The risks associated with fireworks are not limited to displays, public or private. Risks also exist wherever fireworks are manufactured, transported, stored or sold.
- “Safe and sane” fireworks are neither. Fountains, novelties, and sparklers are designed to throw off showers of hot sparks. Temperatures may exceed 1200°F.
- An estimated 11,100 injuries were treated in U.S hospitals and emergency rooms due to firework related injuries.
“Small fireworks, like bottle rockets, sparklers, and small firecrackers can appear harmless to children, but all fireworks have the potential to be dangerous,” KDPS officials said. “In the thirty days surrounding the July 4th holiday, fireworks have shown to injure approximately 2,400 children under the age of 14; however, this only accounts for one-fourth of the injuries reported yearly due to fireworks. A lot of injuries also occur around New Year celebrations as well.”
If you do decide to buy fireworks, be sure to take the following safety steps:
- Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Avoid buying fireworks that come in brown paper packaging; often, this can be a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and could pose a danger to consumers.
- Never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
- Move away to a safe distance immediately after lighting.
- Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not gone off or fully functioned.
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
- Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
- Light one item at a time and then move away quickly.
- After fireworks have gone off and fully functioned, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding to prevent a trash fire.
- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
Further information can be obtained at: www.fireworksafety.com and http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/holidays/fireworks.
The department also included a list of local ordinances regarding fireworks use –
§ 15-30. Consumer fireworks prohibitions.
A. A person shall not ignite, discharge or use consumer fireworks except during permitted hours on the day preceding, the day of, or the day after a national holiday.
- No person shall ignite, discharge or use consumer fireworks between the hours of 12 midnight and 8:00 a.m. of the day preceding, the day of, or the day after a national holiday, except that on New Year’s Day, no person shall ignite, discharge or use consumer fireworks between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
- No person shall ignite, discharge or use consumer fireworks on public property, school property, church property or the property of another person without that organization’s or person’s express permission to use consumer fireworks on those premises.
- Consumer fireworks shall not be sold to a minor.
§ 15-31. General noise prohibition.
The ignition, discharge or use of consumer fireworks shall be subject to the general prohibition contained at § 21-6 of the Kalamazoo City Code, which addresses continued excessive or unusually loud noise, measured or unmeasured, which disrupts, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of any person within the limits of the City.
§ 15-32. Penalties.
A person who violates this article is responsible for a municipal civil infraction and may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $500.
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