State Fire Marshal offers safety tips ahead of New Year holiday

The final fireworks sales season of the year has kicked off, so the State Fire Marshal’s Office wants to encourage all Louisiana residents to not only be safe when using fireworks, but knowledgeable when buying them.
More than 300 retail fireworks permits have been issued for this end-of-the-year season, as it is state law for wholesale and retail fireworks business operators to be appropriately licensed by the SFM, in the parishes and municipalities where they are legally allowed.  The sales season extends through 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2022.
The SFM encourages, first and foremost, that families choose to enjoy public fireworks displays over creating their own. However, if purchasing fireworks is your preference, we advise families to be mindful of whether the stand they are purchasing from has been permitted by this office.
The public can request to see permitting information from any retail fireworks business. The SFM encourages reporting any suspicious or illegal sales of fireworks to 1-800-256-5452 or by visiting lasfm.org.
In addition, SFM want everyone to enjoy fireworks in the safest way possible. Some of the top ways to do that are:
• Detonating devices at least 200 feet away from structures, vehicles and rubbish.
• Never allowing children to light fireworks.
• Never operating fireworks while impaired.
• Lighting devices one at a time and monitoring embers released with a bucket of water or hose nearby.
• Discarding detonated items by wetting them down to prevent reignition and not disposing of them in a trash container immediately.