Safety Tips
As people gear up for Fourth of July festivities, smoke bombs and sparklers may be on your list.
But the Naperville Fire Department is reminding residents to be careful.
“I would definitely recommend adult supervision. No young children should use sparklers,” said Naperville Fire Department Fire Marshal Scott Scheller. “It’s very similar to we teach our kids to stay away from the stove and things around the kitchen. Why would we put a lighted sparkler in their hands as well.”
Scheller said roughly 44% of burn injuries in the U.S. every year are due to children using sparklers. The lit devices can reach up to 1800 degrees.
Scheller recommends having water nearby to extinguish them properly. You should never just throw a sparkler or smoke bomb away in a garbage can.
“Last year we actually had a fire in Naperville related to the improper disposal of fireworks,” said Scheller. “They had put the burnt out devices into a recycling bin and stored them in their garage and had a fire that same night.”
“Leave it to the Professionals”
To avoid accidents, the best thing to do is enjoy fireworks put on by the city.
“We just wish and recommend that people go to the city display and leave it to the professionals,” said Scheller.
This year’s fireworks display will be held at the Frontier Sports Complex, 3380 Cedar Glade Drive. The show begins at 9:30 p.m.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
