LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The blue skies that emerged Saturday afternoon were good news for fireworks tent operators.
“I love the sun, the sun’s a good thing for us, not the rain,” said Francesca Berger, whose Phantom Fireworks tent was set up in the Kroger Parking lot in Georgetown.
The rain has impacted her overall sales, keeping people away on some days.
Nearby on Lexington Road near the Fayette County line, Austin Haywood’s tent has faced the same issue.
“Sales are alright, they are a little bit down from last year, the weather I think has played a part in that,” Haywood said.
His hope is that people who, for instance, don’t come out one day to buy fireworks due to weather, will just come out the next day.
But while fireworks are a holiday tradition, experts say you need to be aware these are not toys, and there are inherent risks involved.
A man in Illinois lost multiple fingers when he lit a firework he was still holding.
Outside New York City, officials encouraged people to leave the pyrotechnic to the professionals.
Here in Kentucky, Haywood, who is an assistant principal at Great Crossing High School, says there are thing you can do to light fireworks safely.
He says the biggest thing is only adults should be handling fireworks. Always follow the rules on the package and local fireworks rules, he said.
“It's always again be mindful of who's lighting the fireworks, where people are in relations to where your fireworks are being lit, and make sure your fireworks are secure,” Haywood said.
Make sure you are lighting fireworks from a flat surface, he said, adding many firework accidents happen when surfaces are at a slope and the firework goes into an unexpected direction.
“We want to be fun but we have to be safe,” Haywood said.
Kentucky’s state website lists more tips to stay safe when lighting fireworks that can be found here: National Fireworks Safety Months.doc (live.com)
