Public Information Office
210 S. McDonald St. Suite 636
McKinney, TX  75069

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Leigh Hornsby, Public Information Officer
972-548-4772
lhornsby@co.collin.tx.us

December 29, 2004

Collin County Fire Marshal’s Office urges caution when handling fireworks

(McKinney, TX) – The Collin County Fire Marshal’s Office is urging residents to be responsible and play it safe when handling fireworks during the New Year’s holiday.

In Texas, fireworks can be sold twice a year, from June 24th through July 4th and from December 20th through January 1st. The stands must be supervised by someone at least 16 years of age, and the vendors cannot sell fireworks to anyone under the age of 12.

Most cities in the county have specific ordinances that prohibit the sale, possession and discharge of fireworks within the city limits. Some of the larger cities with populations over 5,000 can also extend that ordinance and the enforcement into their ETJ.

There are certain regulations that persons must follow when igniting fireworks in the county. A person may not:

  1. explode or ignite fireworks within 600 feet of any church, a hospital other than a veterinary hospital, an asylum, a licensed child care center, or a public or private primary or secondary school or institution of higher education unless the person receives in writing form that organization;
  2. sell at retail, explode or ignite fireworks within 100 feet of a place where flammable liquids or flammable compressed gasses are stored and dispensed;
  3. explode or ignite fireworks within 100 feet of a place where fireworks are stored or sold;
  4. ignite or discharge fireworks in or from a motor vehicle
  5. place ignited fireworks in, or throw ignited fireworks at motor vehicle;
  6. conduct a public fireworks display that includes Fireworks 1.3G unless the person is a licensed pyrotechnic operator;
  7. conduct a proximate display of fireworks that include Fireworks 1.3G or Fireworks 1.4G as defined in NFPA 1126 Standards for the Use of Pyrotechnics before a proximate audience unless the person is a licensed pyrotechnic special effects operator and has the approval of the local fire prevention officer.

Violations of the above section 1-5 are Class C Misdemeanors and 6-7 are Class B.

In recent years, fireworks have been one of the leading causes of injuries serious enough to require hospital emergency room treatment. They can cause severe burns, fractures, scars or even death.

To help celebrate the holiday safely, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Council on Fireworks Safety offer the following tips:

Recent rain over the past several months has left the ground wet and in some places muddy, but the grass and other vegetation that grew is now dormant and is creating a heavy fuel load, which will burn quickly. Additionally, the soil condition creates a hazard for firefighters, because they may have difficulty getting their apparatus into the fire because of the muddy conditions.

The Collin County Fire Marshal’s Office will be out on Friday night assisting the sheriff’s office on calls relating to fireworks.

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