Fire Officials Urge People to Leave the Fireworks to the Professionals.
"Public fireworks displays are back this year, and fire departments across the state are making sure they are safe for spectators and for shooters," said State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey. "Illegal fireworks are risky, especially around children who will imitate what they see adults do. Let's keep our children safe."
Children and teens under 15 account for more than one-third of the severe fireworks burn injuries requiring emergency room visits in Massachusetts.
"The Fourth of July holiday is a busy time for firefighters," Centerville-Osterville-Marston Mills Fire Chief Michael J. Winn, president of the Fire Chiefs' Association of Massachusetts, said. "We respond to all types of fires and medical emergencies. In fact, the week of July 4 is one of the busiest times of the year for fires. So please leave the fireworks to the professionals and enjoy the many supervised fireworks displays."