Be Prepared, Safe & Responsible This 4th of July

Today, in Clark County, fireworks will go on sale at noon today to the general public in anticipation of our nation's birthday!

In the City of Vancouver, legal dates & hours of discharge are:

• July 1-3 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• July 4 from 9 a.m. to midnight.

In Clark County, outside the City of Vancouver, fireworks may be used starting on June 28th, with discharge hours from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

And, as your 9-1-1 emergency management agency, we wish for everyone to have a safe & happy holiday celebration which means paying attention to a few simple reminders about fireworks safety:

• Read & follow all warnings on the fireworks
• Only adults should light fireworks.
• Keep a hose & bucket of water nearby.
• Light fireworks in a safe area, on a paved surface
• Light one firework at a time and move away quickly.
• Keep fireworks at least 25 feet away from grass or areas with combustibles.
• Never attempt to relight a firework even if it seems to be malfunctioning.  Allow them to stand for several minutes and then discard them in a pail of water.
• Fireworks should never be held or thrown.
• If clothes catch fire, remember to STOP, DROP to the ground, cover your face and ROLL over until the fire goes out. 

And, most importantly, don't call 9-1-1 simply because you hear fireworks being discharged within our county.  Keep our phone lines open for those situations that truly require public safety assistance because someone is endangered or needs help.