Officials encourage safety amid Fourth of July celebrations

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With many planning to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday with outdoor plans all weekend long, safety officials are reminding people to be careful during their festivities.

If you're planning to be by the pool, especially with children, Jefferson County Fire spokesperson Jordan Yuodis said you should have a "pool watcher." This person should be a sober adult and is responsible for monitoring those in the pool.

It's recommended adults take turns with who is watching and rotate roughly every 15 minutes to make sure their attention stays focused on those in the water.

Yuodis said you shouldn't store fireworks in areas that aren't climate-controlled, like garages. When the weather outside is hot, those areas can heat up quickly, causing fireworks to prematurely ignite. He also said to make sure you don't store fireworks near things like gasoline or propane tanks.

Some of the most frequent causes of firework-related injuries stem from people trying to relight a dud, Yuodis said. If a firework doesn't go off after it is lit the first time, he said you should treat it as though it was lit.

After any fireworks are lit, you should submerge them in a bucket of water to make sure they are fully extinguished.

The fire official also said many injuries, especially in children, come from sparklers. When holding a sparkler, make sure your hands are at the bottom of the stem and as far as away from the sparks as possible.

Children holding sparklers should do so under the guidance and direction of an adult.