Fourth of July fireworks, pet safety tips 2024
ATLANTA - The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and while it's an exciting time with all sorts of festivities and beautiful fireworks displays around town, people often forget just how dangerous it can be.
For DeKalb County fire officials, it’s a holiday spent on high alert as they’ve seen countless celebrations go out with a bang — and not in a good way.
"The Fourth of July is known as a holiday with family and friends in which people do a lot of grilling as well as having their own celebrations with fireworks," Captain Jaeson Daniels told Fox 5. "We do see some grass fires, people not disposing of the coals correctly…we also see a lot of eye injuries during this time of year due to the fireworks."
DeKalb County fire officials say doing either activity without taking the proper precautions is playing with fire.
Here are some tips to enjoy the holiday safely.
The first tip is to keep your head on a swivel. Just like they say at the airport, "If you see something, say something." You can report suspicious activity and crime to 911.
If you're going to drink, plan ahead. You can take MARTA or a rideshare service to and from any celebration.
If you plan to walk, try to be in a group and walk in well-lit areas.
If you're going to drive, never leave your car running unattended. As always, never leave your personal items in the car, especially not a gun.
If you plan to be out on the water, practice water safety. In 2023, there were 53 reported drownings in Georgia's waterways and 20 boating-related deaths. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said they arrested more than 250 for boating under the influence (BUI). Something as simple as wearing a life jacket could make the difference between life and death.
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If you're putting on your own fireworks display, do not allow small children to handle anything, including sparklers. They can get up to 1,000 degrees. Atlanta police also suggest only lighting one firework at a time.
Daniels says if you plan to set fireworks at home, you should only light them once.
"Oftentimes people want to go back in if it did not light all the way or all of the rounds didn’t come out of the firework … you just wanna do that one time … if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work," he said.
Throwing them away properly is just as important as how you handle them before sparks start flying.
"After you have lit those fireworks, you want to soak those fireworks down with water," Daniels explained.
He says it’s a leading cause of accidents right behind leaving the grill or stove unattended.
"You want to have that grill at least 10 feet away from any structure or any flammable material…we do want to discourage people from leaving those fires unattended," Daniels said.
He says whether you’re handling food or entertainment for the fourth, it’s good practice to keep an extinguisher close by.
Daniel also tells FOX 5 you can use either water or a fire extinguisher to ensure fireworks are out. To make sure the fire is extinguished on the grill, you just close the vents and shut the top.
If you want to enjoy legal fireworks safely, or if you're planning to run in the Peachtree Road race, check out the many events going on around metro Atlanta. FOX 5 Atlanta put together a list of them here.
Tips to get anxious pets through Fourth of July fireworks
If you have a furry friend, you may need to do some prep work to make sure they're comfortable on the holiday too. Animal experts say the loud noises and bright lights can be very stressful for them. In fact, more pet runaways happen on Independence Day than any other day of the year, according to various animal shelter reports.
Before the fireworks show
- Play a game or go for a long walk during the day so they won’t be so wound up later.
- Close your blinds, curtains, and windows. Animals have been known to jump fences, break chains, and even leap through glass windows.
- Be certain their collar identification and microchip are up-to-date in case they get loose.
- Select a cool and quiet room where the noise will be at a minimum.
During the fireworks show
- Turn on the air conditioner, fan, or television can help drown out noise.
- For extra comfort, put on some classical music, or their favorite tunes.
- Keep them in a cool quiet place like a bathroom, not inside a crate or tied up.
After the fireworks show
- Clean up! Don't leave any fireworks lying around. Unused items that contain toxic substances pose a danger to animals.
FOX 5 D.C. WTTG-TV contributed to this report.