Fireworks Safety

Consumer – “Family” Style Fireworks

This class includes the following types of fireworks; Roman candles, fountains, pin wheels, sparklers, firework showers, golden rain, lawn lights, volcanoes, Christmas crackers, and cones.

Fireworks can be extremely dangerous and each year, a number of preventable injuries occur from their improper use and handling.

The South-West Oxford Fire and Emergency Services provide the following guidelines for the safe display of consumer – “family” style fireworks.

1. Fireworks are to be set off by adults only.
2. No person shall set off fireworks on land they do not own, without obtaining prior written permission of the owner to do so.
3. A person who stores fireworks shall ensure those fireworks are not accessible to children.
4. Fireworks should not be stored, handled or set off in an unsafe manner, or in a manner that creates a nuisance, taking into account the noise, danger from fire and explosion, and risk of death, injury and damage to property.
5. During the display:
   • Appoint a responsible person to be in charge. Only adults who are aware of the hazards and essential safety precautions should handle and discharge fireworks.
   • Carefully read and follow the label directions on fireworks packaging.
   • Always keep a water hose or pail of water close by when discharging fireworks.
   • Discharge fireworks well away from combustible materials like buildings, trees and dry grass.
   • Keep onlookers a safe distance away, upwind from the area where fireworks are discharged.
   • Light only one firework at a time and only when they are on the ground. Never try to light a firework in your hand or re-light dud fireworks. For dud fireworks, it is best to wait 30 minutes and soak them in a bucket of water. Dispose of them in a metal container.
   • Discharge fireworks only if wind conditions do not create a safety hazard.
   • Keep sparklers away from young children. Sparklers burn extremely hot and can ignite clothing, cause blindness and result in severe burns. As the sparkler wire remains hot for some minutes after burning, it should be immediately soaked in water to avoid injury.
   • If someone gets burned, run cool water over the wound for three to five minutes and seek medical attention, if necessary.
6. After the display, the area should be thoroughly searched, using flashlights, for any fireworks which may have been overlooked, which may have misfired or components which may have failed to explode and fallen to the ground. All debris, stakes, frames and packages should be cleaned up and disposed of.

Please note: adherence to these safety precautions does not alleviate the need to comply with the requirements of the Township of South-West Oxford noise control bylaw as enforced by the Township of South-West Oxford bylaw department.