HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Police Department is enforcing fireworks safety this holiday.
Department officials want to remind residents that the presence of fireworks inside the city limits is prohibited except as allowed in section 20-24 of the City Ordinance.
Any fireworks in violation of the ordinance are subject to confiscation by law enforcement and fire department officials.
Assistant Chief of Police Miryam Anderson said that citations will be given to those who do not comply with the rules.
“We want to encourage families to come out to Freedom Fest and have a good time but we want to make sure that safety is enforced at all times,” Anderson said.
“If they would like to go outside city limits they can but we want everyone to be safe and for that we invite them to attend the event organized by the city where the fireworks will be hosted by the fire department to make sure we are all safe.”
Freedom Fest is tomorrow from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Fair Park.
The event will have food and beverages available for purchase but no outside food will be allowed.
Admission is free and will feature artists such as Pat Green, William Michael Morgan, Los Hijos de San Juan and Chad Cooke Band.
Safety Tips:
• Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.
• Never give fireworks to children.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages when handling fireworks.
• Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks. Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away.
• Use fireworks outdoors only in a clear area; away from buildings and vehicles.
• Always have a bucket of water and charged water hose nearby.
• Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
• Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and place in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials until the next day.
• Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quarter sticks, to the fire or police department.
• Don’t bring your pets to a fireworks display, even a small one and don’t shoot any near them.
• If fireworks are being used near your home, put your pet in a safe, interior room to avoid exposure to the sound.
•Make sure your pet has an identification tag, in case it runs off during a fireworks display.
