ARKANSAS (KFSM) — With the Fourth of July just around the corner, a lot of people might be planning to set off fireworks.
Firefighters from both Springdale and Rogers have some tips on how to stay safe during the holiday.
"What’s important for people to understand is what they are dealing with, so they need to read the instructions for the firework. If they don't know what it does or what the outcome don't use them, " said Rogers Fire Chief Tom Jenkins.
Jenkins says an important thing to remember is to never allow your kids to play with or ignite the fireworks.
"Make sure that kiddos don’t have a role in fireworks. We do unfortunately see kids injured every year because adults aren't paying attention or adults allow them to interact with fireworks," Jenkins said.
Springdale Fire Captain Matt Bagley agrees with Jenkins. According to Springdale law, someone under the age of 16 must be with someone 21 or older in order to shoot off fireworks.
"What the law is trying to establish is some level of responsibility. As I've always heard growing up kids will be kids but the consequences are too big to let kids learn the hard way when it comes to fireworks," Bagley said.
Over the last few years, the Springdale Fire Department has seen the most firework-related fires from June 30 through July 5.
"2016 through 2018 it was trending up," Bagley said. "We’re talking about pretty small amounts but it is going up. A person could argue it’s because of our population growth, but without having all those numbers to put right next to each other not exactly sure what the reason is but we do know it’s steadily climbing."
Officials at both fire stations agree they just want residents to have a safe and enjoyable holiday. They say to make sure you soak the fireworks in water after they've been lit for several hours before disposing them to avoid a trash fire.