Fireworks sales begin for Independence Day 2016

 

Starting today, June 27, the air in Holton and Jackson County will be filled with the sound of crackling, pop­ping, whistling and booming and the scent of gunpowder — all in the celebration of Independence Day.

Today marks the official start of fireworks sales in the Holton and Jackson County area, and Class C fireworks may be legally sold and discharged through Tuesday, July 5, it has been reported. Such fireworks include firecrack­ers, Roman candles, rockets, shells, fountains and other pyrotechnic displays.

In Holton, fireworks may be dis­charged between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. on those dates and on Tuesday, July 5. On Monday, July 4, they may be discharged between 8 a.m. and midnight, according to city ordinance.

The state of Kansas has banned the sale or discharge of bottle rockets or M-80 firecrackers — crackers that contain more than 50 milligrams of gunpowder — and in Jackson County, the sale or discharge of metal-handled sparklers and Chinese lanterns, or “sky lanterns,” are also prohibited.

All other fireworks classified as “Consumer Fireworks” by the U.S. Department of Transportation and labeled as “Class C” are legal, according to the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office.

Young people are reminded to exercise care when discharging fireworks in the coming days. Some of the most common tips for handling fireworks safely include:

• Don’t throw or propel fireworks in the direction of or into the path of anyone else or into a vehicle. Not only does that action lack common sense, but in Holton, it’s also prohibited by city ordinance.

Furthermore, the Kansas Fire Marshal’s office notes it is illegal “to shoot fireworks on or under a vehicle, on any public roadway, within 50 feet of a firework stand or where fireworks are stored, and gas stations or anywhere liquid gas including propane is stored.”

• Buy high-quality fireworks from a legitimate, reliable source, and don’t carry them in your pocket. Store them in cool, dry places.

• Seven words found on most firework labels say it all: “Place on ground. Light fuse. Get away.” Also, don’t discharge them indoors or in glass or metal containers, and if it doesn’t go off the first time, don’t try to light it again.

• Choose your fireworks display site and methods with care. Mishandled fireworks cause hundreds of fires that can cause severe damage to homes, motor vehicles and grasslands, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages each year — and that’s not to mention the innumerable injuries caused by careless handling of fireworks. In 2012, the Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office reported that 51 percent of Kansas hospitals reported a total of 197 fireworks-related injuries.

• Make sure that children are carefully supervised if and when handling fireworks. And let the professionals handle the “big stuff.”

Jackson County residents wishing to get together for an Independence Day community celebration have two options in the coming week, including:

Holton: The Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce will host the annual “July Jubilee” event at Banner Creek Reservoir on Saturday, July 2. The Jackson County Community Band will play at 8 p.m., followed by a fireworks display by 2 Kirks’ Fireworks, estimated to begin at 10 p.m. Free-will donations will be accepted at the reservoir gates; in case of rain, the event will be held Friday, July 8, it was reported.

Hoyt: The southern Jackson County community will hold its annual Independence Day celebration this Sunday, July 3 at Hoyt City Park. The Hoyt Fire Department will hold a cookout with hamburgers and hot dogs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the city’s basketball court, and the Hoyt United Methodist Church will sell homemade ice creams and desserts from 6 p.m. until supplies run out or the fireworks display begins.

Hoyt’s fire department will set off a display of large fireworks starting at dusk. Donations to help the participating organizations will be accepted, and visitors to the park are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets for seating. 

The Holton Recorder

109 W. Fourth St.
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: 785-364-3141
 

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