TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Tallahassee Fire Department is reminding everyone planning to celebrate the New Year that the key is to celebrate safely.
More than 1,900 fires happen every year from fireworks, resulting in as many as 9,000 people ending up in the hospital.
TFD Captain Robert Clary shared some of the best practices to keep you, your home and your family safe.
"Of course you want to wear eye protection because fireworks can become projectile and hit you in the face or the eye," said Clary. "[They can] also explode in your hand, so you never want to use a firework in your hand. You always want to put it in a bottle or something that's not going to be combustible. Have it at least 50 feet away from the structure so it doesn't ignite anything around, especially the grass."
It's also wise to moisten the ground and areas near explosives to prevent any fire from spreading.
