How to Select Fireworks

If you plan on celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks, it's important to make sure that you have the appropriate type for your city and your guests. Planning ahead to make sure that you have safe and fun fireworks for everyone attending will prevent accidents and holiday tragedy.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Find out what's legal. Every city and state has its own legal definition of what fireworks are legal. In some cities, you can't set off any fireworks in certain areas. In others, no projectile fireworks like Roman Candles or rockets. Check with your local fire department or police station, or check online to find out what is legal where you live.

2. Consider your guests. If you will have children at the event, choose fun, safe fireworks that they can enjoy. Children can hold sparklers (under the supervision of adults only) or help with small, ground-based fireworks like Magic Snakes and Ground Blooms.

3. Choose a safe place for the event. Will you be setting them off in the middle of a residential street? If so, avoid rockets and other high-flying fireworks that can land on neighboring roofs. Imagine how terrible you would feel if you burned down your neighbors house! If you are at the beach, you can safely set off flying fireworks.

4. Decide on an extended event or a big bang. Do you want people to have fun lighting fireworks throughout the night or do you want one shorter, bigger display? You can buy lots of small, fun fireworks with one or two fountains for the end or purchase a number of powerful fireworks for a bigger, shorter display.

Tips & Warnings

• Always point fireworks away from people and animals.
• Pick up your litter after the remains have cooled down.
• Never let children use fireworks of any kind unsupervised.
• Never relight fireworks.
• Never approach a firework that hasn't gone off.

Resources

• Fireworks Laws by State
• National Council on Fireworks Safety