Published: December 30, 2018

THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE IS ADVISING RESIDENTS TO LEAVE FIREWORKS TO THE EXPERTS FOR THE NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION AS THEY CAN POSE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR CONSUMERS WHO CHOOSE TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN BACKYARD SHOW. ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, MOST OFTEN CHILDREN AND TEENS, ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF FIREWORKS. IN TENNESSEE, FIREWORKS CAUSED 377 UNINTENDED FIRES AND RESULTED IN OVER $1 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGES AND ONE DEATH FROM 2013-2017 ACCORDING TO STATE FIRE DATA. THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE STRONGLY ADVISES THAT INDIVIDUALS ATTEND ORGANIZED PUBLIC FIREWORKS DISPLAYS WHERE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE-OF- THE-ART FIRE CODES OFFERS A SAFER WAY TO RING IN A NEW YEAR. IF CONSUMERS CHOOSE TO SHOOT FIREWORKS THEMSELVES, THEY SHOULD FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH LOCAL FIREWORKS LAWS AS SEVERAL COUNTIES AND CITIES IN TENNESSEE HAVE ORDINANCES AND RESTRICTIONS RELATED TO FIREWORKS USAGE. THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL'S OFFICE ALSO OFFERS THESE SAFETY TIPS: NEVER ALLOW CHILDREN TO HANDLE OR IGNITE FIREWORKS, READ AND FOLLOW ALL WARNINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS, WEAR EYE PROTECTION AND BE SURE OTHER PEOPLE ARE OUT OF RANGE BEFORE LIGHTING FIREWORKS. FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY TIPS GO TO TN.GOV/FIRE.