It’s the week of Independence Day, which means the instances of people shooting off fireworks will increase tenfold.

However, Perry Fire Chief Chris Hinds emphasizes the importance of safety when it comes to discharging fireworks, as the consequences can be severe. “People are getting them and getting ready to shoot them off to have a good celebration on the Fourth, and we want it to be a safe celebration on the Fourth. So we want to remind everybody that safety is paramount when you’re dealing with fireworks or anything that’s an explosive type. And let’s face it, a firework is nothing more than a very tiny or miniature bomb. So we’ve got to be very careful with that and make sure that we don’t blow up the wrong things.”

Some specific safety tips Hinds offers include: never hold onto a lit firework, as it can lead to maiming your hands or losing your fingers; don’t aim a firework at anyone, because it could possibly explode in their face and permanently injure them; don’t shoot fireworks at houses or other structures that could catch fire, and by the same token in dry fields; and keep everything away from young children, including items like snappers, which can look like candy.

To learn more about fireworks safety, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.