Every Fourth of July there are reports of people losing or disfiguring their hands, or seriously burning themselves because of improper handling of fireworks. Ainsworth Assistant Fire Chief Jason Longbine stresses that most forms of fireworks are illegal in the state of Iowa, so the best way to stay safe is to simply not shoot fireworks in the first place. However, there are some things people can do to stay safe if they do choose to have them. Longbine said never hold anything other than a sparkler, check your surroundings for flammable materials, and have a water source nearby.

The only fireworks that are legal in Iowa are sparklers, snakes, and caps. While those may seem harmless, safety is still important particularly with sparklers. Longbine said sparklers are responsible for the majority of emergency calls they get, so it’s important to not leave them unattended, don’t hit people with them, and have water to put them out so people don’t step on them. The best advice he had to offer to people for fireworks safety over Independence Day weekend is to “leave it to the professionals.”