Miami-Dade Fire Rescue conducting sweeps of fireworks vendors ahead of July 4th holiday
MIAMI - Miami-Dade Fire Rescue will be conducting safety sweeps at fireworks vendors across the county ahead of July 4th to ensure illegal fireworks are not sold.
July 4th is one of three state-approved holidays where Floridians are allowed to use certain fireworks that can explode or become airborne.
However, not all fireworks under that umbrella are legal to use on Independence Day. So Miami-Dade Fire officials suggest only purchasing fireworks from licensed vendors to make sure what you purchase is legal. They also recommend checking the packaging before you buy, as well as the expiration date.
"Violations would be anywhere from broken packages, to fireworks that are expired, old, or they just look frail, not suitable for the public," said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue safety specialist Ozzy Norat.
Another rule of thumb is to always read the directions, even when using fireworks you are familiar with.
"You know you look at this, and you're like 'oh, this is for kids, it's safe'. It is safe, and it's designed for kids, but it's still highly recommended to read the directions and follow them. As long as you do that, you're going to be safe," said Chris Pouridas, owner of Champion Fireworks.