Fire department gives safety tips

On this New Year's Eve, the North Charleston Fire Department is encouraging the public to handle fireworks safely during their celebrations by obeying local laws and following common sense safety measures.

The North Charleston Fire Department has issued the following safety tips for using fireworks safely over the holidays:

-- Always buy fireworks from an established retail outlet. Never purchase or use dangerous, illegal explosives such as M-80s.

--Read and follow all manufacturer's warnings and instructions.

--If there are no instruction or product labels, the items may have been made illegally and could be unsafe. Illegal fireworks, which are made without the quality control standards of legal products, are extremely unpredictable.

--Always have a sober adult in charge of all fireworks activities.

--Never allow young children to play with fireworks, not even sparklers. Sparklers can reach temperatures of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt gold.

--Never try to relight fireworks that did not explode or ignite the first time. Stay away from them; they may be live for up to 20 minutes.

--Keep a bucket of water or fire extinguisher or water hose present in case of fire.

--Light fireworks on a clean, flat surface away from the house or flammable materials.