Sheriff Offers General Safety Tips Ahead the Long 4th of…

Sheriff Offers General Safety Tips Ahead the Long 4th of July Holiday Weekend to Keep Everyone Safe.

Highway Safety:

-Buckle up

-Watch your speed

-Don’t drink or use drugs and drive. If you are going to drink, designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person your keys. As always – Have A Plan !

-Don’t be distracted while you’re driving. There will be a lot of pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic and any distraction can lead to tragedy.

Boats:

-Always have enough life jackets on your vessel for every passenger and make sure they are being worn.

-Don’t drink alcohol or use drugs and operate a boat.

-Watch your speed and show courtesy to others as our local waterways will have much heavier boat and personal watercraft traffic over the holiday weekend.

-Know the body of water you will be boating on along with knowing all of the navigational hazards.

-Check the weather forecast before you head out.

Fireworks:

-Those fireworks that are legal include sparkling devices and ground-based or handheld devices that do not rise into the air.

-Always remember that sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.

-Retailers can only sell fireworks during the periods of June 1 to July 5 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 and only to those that are 18 years of age and older.

-Fireworks that are illegal include those that fly into the air and/or explode –commonly referred to as sky rockets, bottle rockets, aerial spinners and roman candles

-Prevent fires by dousing the used devices with water before throwing them in the trash.

Traveling out of town for the Fourth of July?

- Prepare your home before you leave town by locking all doors and windows.

- Make sure potential fire hazards are secured appropriately – grills, electronics, lamps, etc.

Using the grill this Fourth of July?

-If you’re using propane, first check the tank for leaks, cracks, dents or corrosion.

-If you’re using charcoal, keep water handy to extinguish the hot coals.

-Always grill out in the open, away from structures that could catch fire—and light the match before turning on the gas!

Keep your pets safe on the Fourth of July!

-More pets get out on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year due to loud, unfamiliar noises.

-Keep pets in a quiet and comfortable space during firework shows.