BENTONVILLE — Dale McDaniel and his family bring in every new year with fireworks.
“We get the basic, bottle rockets, Roman candles, smoke bombs and firecrackers,” McDaniel of Rogers said Wednesday afternoon. “It’s our own mini fireworks show.”
McDaniel said his family has a tradition of going to their property on Beaver Lake. They watch movies, shoot fireworks and watch to ball drop in Time Square.
“It’s a fun way to celebrate and there are no neighbors to disturb,” McDaniel said. “We may buy them, but we don’t turn the children loose with them.”
Anthony Farriester, who works at Hale Fireworks in Missouri, agrees with McDaniel that children should be supervised when shooting off fireworks.
“They (fireworks) are not play toys,” Farriester said. “Always supervise your children. We want our customers to come back and not maimed.”
Farriester said fireworks maybe fun, but handled improperly are dangerous.
“Don’t play with them,” Farriester said.
Jay Howell, whose family owns the business, said the principle safety tip is simply following the directions on handling fireworks.
“If it’s not supposed to be held in your hands then don’t throw it,” Howell said. “If it belongs on the ground then place it there.”
Howell said there are some perfectly safe fireworks for children such as snappers and confetti poppers.
Doug Gay, the public information deputy for the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, said the county does not have a fireworks ordinances for residents who live in the unincorporated areas of Benton County.
Gay said the Sheriff’s Office usually receive about one call a year pertaining to a fireworks injury.
Gay advised people not to consume alcohol and then decide to light fireworks.
“Obviously common sense goes a long ways, but sometimes when mixing alcohol and fireworks then common sense goes in the back seat,” Gay said. “Hopefully, this year people will be safe and use common sense.”
Gay said he encourages anyone shooting aerial fireworks to point the objects in safe directions and away from homes. Gay also said people should not hold Roman candles, bottle rockets or firecrackers in their hands.
Howell said the recent wet weather may have alleviated one concern that’s faced in dry conditions.
“It’s totally safe,” Howell said. “I don’t think you could start a fire anywhere.”
Benton County Fire Marshall Will Hanna said the county does not have an ordinance restricting the use of fireworks. However, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Bentonville each have an ordinance prohibiting the sale and use of certain aerial fireworks, Hanna said.