COLLEGE STATION, Texas—We love to watch them light up the sky.
But, from the ground, fireworks could turn an Independence Day celebration into a disaster.
“You don’t want to end up in the emergency room on the Fourth of July,” said Stuart Marrs with the College Station Fire Department.
Marrs said the department receives the most calls on the July 4th holiday because of careless mistakes when dealing with fireworks.
“Sparklers are some of the most common fireworks and they’re also the ones that cause the most damage and the most injuries,” he said.
CSFD demonstrated how a sparkler can start a fast-moving grass fire in about 15 seconds.
“A little bit of wind and a little bit of dry grass a fire can really get going,” said Marrs.
Marrs said keeping your family safe around fireworks means being responsible.
He said have a responsible adult in charge, and make sure children aren’t getting to close to the fireworks.
Marrs said that people suffer from burns every year from getting to close to the firecrackers when lighting them.
“A sparkler or black cat or a jumping jack can cause a second-degree burn and that's a very painful burn,” said Marrs.
Also, light the fireworks on concrete, away from your home or yard.
Another safety tip is to keep a bucket of water nearby when lighting fireworks, then douse the remains with water after shooting them off.
Marrs said those spent firecrackers could still be smoldering.
All good tips that firefighters say can avoid an injury, and a serious fire.
“We need to be responsible about what we're doing. It's great to have fun but you got to have fun in a responsible way,” said Marrs.
Another reminder that fireworks are not permitted in the city limits of Bryan or College Station.
Fire Marshals will be patrolling for violators and if you're caught, the fine can be up to $2,000.