The Fourth of July is Wednesday and people are stocking up on hamburgers, patriotic decorations, and for some, fireworks.
However, professional grade fireworks should be saved for the professionals, says the Cincinnati Fire Department.
"Consumer grade fireworks are all that's recommended," says Sherman Smith, assistant chief of fire prevention at the Cincinnati Fire department. "Sometimes people may have access to that firework that just gives them a little more bang for their buck, but they're not really intended for regular unlicensed shooters to shoot at their homes."
Almost 20,000 fires are started every year due to firework accidents, according to the fire departnment. This happens locally as well.
"From the first of July until about the seventh or eighth, we investigated about 10 incidents," says Smith of 2017. "All of them fires that involved some property of some type, which is pretty significant."
Some ways to use fireworks safely are to read the directions on the fireworks carefully, to only shoot off a firework in a clear area away from buildings and vehicles, and to keep a hose and a bucket of water nearby in case of accidents.
Also, remember to keep your pets indoors during any fireworks shows.
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