THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Officials in Thomas County say New Year's Eve is the second-biggest time of the year when people set off fireworks.
With that in mind, county officials are asking the public to be smart about it.
Thomas County Fire Chief Bob Duthoy said it'd be wise of you to read the directions on the firework casings before igniting them and do not try lighting multiple fireworks at once by yourself.
"If you're lighting them, please light them one at a time and quickly move to a safe area," said Duthoy. "Don't try to light three or four because by the time you get to number four, number one is going off and it's right next to you."
Occasionally you'll come across a defective firework, Duthoy said the best thing you can do is throw it away.
"If you encounter a dud firework, don't try to relight it. Just take it and drop it in, wait about 20 minutes, and drop it in a bucket of water, and soak it thoroughly and you can dispose of it," said Duthoy.
Duthoy said if you follow these recommendations you should have a safe night.
Thomasville Assistant Police Chief, Eric Hampton, said so far they haven't had any reported injuries on New Year's Eve due to celebratory fire.
"We haven't had any tragedies when it comes to people firing firearms or fireworks so far, and we want to keep it that way," said Hampton. "So, we are recommending that people do not discharge firearms in the city."
While fireworks can be fun, they can also cause serious bodily harm.
Duthoy said over 13,000 cases of firework related injuries were reported across the country last year.
Officials say the average firework burns at 1,800 degrees, so it's crucial you use extreme caution when handling fireworks.
