Will County authorities warn to leave fireworks to the professionals

With the Fourth of July holiday, many people will want to partake in the festivities at home with fireworks.

The Plainfield Fire Protection District, among other area departments, are asking residents to leave the fireworks show to the professionals.

Every year, fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires, 1,300 structure fires,
300 vehicle fires and 16,900 other outside fires nationally, according to data from the National Fire Protection Association. These fires cause, on average, three deaths, 40 injuries and about $43 million in direct property damage annually.

Even novelty fireworks that are legal in Illinois can cause damage, because some are capable of burn between 1,200 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. If residents celebrate with sparklers, they should keep a bucket of sand or water nearby to dispose of the spent sparkler rods. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that more than 69 percent of injuries associated with them are burns, with most happening on or around the head, face, ears, hands and fingers.

Safety officials also advise residents to ensure their fireworks are legal in Illinois. A list of approved and prohibited fireworks can bee seen on the Illinois State Fire Marshal's website at www2.illinois.gov/sites/sfm/Pages/default.aspx.