Firework safety tips if you plan to celebrate big this New Year’s Eve

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - New Year’s Eve is Saturday and with that comes big celebrations, and yours may come in the form of lighting off fireworks, but with that big bang can also come big accidents if you aren’t safe with your fireworks.

It is important to remember some safety tips before heading outside to set off your fireworks. If you or someone you know does not know how to handle your fireworks properly, it can end in disaster. Tom Skoog, owner of Big Fireworks in Rapid City says that the big finale fireworks are the most popular, and with big fireworks comes big responsibility.

”Never bend over a firework when you light it, never try to relight a firework, it could always blow up on you. Make sure you have some water on hand. Ideally for the ground stuff you want to be a good 35 to 50 feet away. If you’re going to light some big areal stuff, 100 feet plus is recommended,” says Skoog.

He also recommends keeping all children out of reach of the fireworks, and never let anyone who has been drinking light one either. If you do plan on lighting fireworks, make sure you find a safe area to do so.

”Fireworks aren’t allowed in city limits in Rapid here, but certain municipalities, like Box Elder, allow it on New Year’s Eve. Anywhere in the county that’s not in the fire protection area. Just be respectful and mindful of your neighbors.”

State law allows fireworks to be set off from December 28th through January 1st.