West Michigan's Morning News
Fireworks Safety with Grand Rapids Fire Marshal William Smith
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This is West Michigan's morning news to Kelly Brett Keaton Lawrence Smith, fire Marshall for the city of Grand Rapids is William Smith bill thanks for doing this today. Well, thank you for having us on really like to have the opportunity to speak to your listeners and all about firework safety. What do you even start right especially given in headlines just minutes ago. We heard about a duplex that burns because of smoldering fireworks. Again, we're not doing an inspection or an investigation into this story specifically, but you got to make sure they're out before you go back in the house right. That's correct fireworks do pose a very good ignition source whether you think they're out or not unless they've been soaked down with water and put in a container that is not combustible that's like a metal trash can or bucket. Don't trust them. Don't let them just pile up or put them in the garbage because you're going to have a fire. We even if it was just sparklers and the kids were younger. We had a bucket and they put them in the bucket and you had to bring them back and watered so charged hose maybe even to. Oh yeah, have your garden hose readily available and ready to deploy. So when you turn on that nozzle, you can get water right now. You know Steve just brought up the word kids and I mean I don't care if my kid is like 18. They're not doing fireworks by themselves right we need serious adult supervision here. Absolutely Lauren you do need to have somebody there that's the authority, if you will, and to watch out for maybe not so great practices when you're lighting off these fireworks. Fire Marshall I wanted to talk about something for people that are going out to bigger fireworks displays I've seen this time and time again. And you can't be safe enough in the fact that yes I mean they're trained professionals that are usually doing these shows but you don't want to sit right by where they're shooting them off or you want to pay attention to things like if there is a little wind right because that debris is going to blow somewhere. That's true when you have a little bit of a breeze that the remnants of the fireworks after they've been detonated they do tend to drift so be aware of that. Could cause an eye injury or other breathing ailments too because it's a lot of smoke coming out. Downtown we're going to be having fireworks this Saturday evening and we inspect that process to make sure that our crowds are safe when those fireworks are being lit and they are professionals. It's important to know that your responsibility when you buy one of those things they're tense all over their legal in the state of Michigan now will put the link at wood radio.com is to when you can shoot those things off because there are local ordinances about that. But should something awful happen you're liable so right for having sex read the instructions. Absolutely please take a look at the packaging look at the firework itself. It will have a description of what you're supposed to expect once it's ignited and take due caution and making sure that your people that you're lighting these fireworks around are away from downrange wherever these fireworks are going to land you don't want them landing on a person. What else have we missed fire Marshall William. Well I think you've done a pretty good job of covering all the bases it really comes down a responsibility when you have a firework and you choose to ignite it. You're responsible for what the end result is so let's make sure that we are all paying attention to safe ignition habits and that we're not endangering any lives or property out there. Fire Marshall real quick not to be the narc here but if you see maybe a neighbor that's that's firing off and you're starting to get that feeling that it's maybe not the safest not. It's more dangerous than they're realizing is that a non emergency call to the fire department or what would you say to a neighbor that's a little concerned. I would go and talk to that neighbor. I know all the people on my street and they know me and if I saw something that was a little you know edgy then go and have that polite conversation with your neighbor and ask them to maybe consider some other practice. But if at the end of the day that that conversation is not able to be had or somebody's not listening to you and you still you are still concerned you may absolutely call 911 and we'll route that call the way it ought to be. We'll turn it dog bark was that a Dalmatian that is smokey and he is right outside my door everybody be extra safe this week so smokey's telling everybody be careful with your fireworks. I'm glad he spoke up. I love it. Fire Marshall the city of Grand Rapids William Smith great stuff. Thank you.