BY IVAN SANDERS

STAR STAFF

ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com

Thursday will be the highlight of the summer holiday season as the Fourth of July will be celebrated locally and throughout the nation as the United States celebrates its Independence Day.

Many will fire up the grills to grill hamburgers and hotdogs for a family picnic while taking a refreshing dip in the family pool or at the lake is high on the list as well.

But as always, the cherry on top of the day’s celebration will be when dusk falls and fireworks fill the evening skies in a pandora of beautiful colors and shapes created from the bursting shells that are fired into the sky.

Driving through Carter County, there are a plethora of opportunities to purchase fireworks to put on shows for family and those in the neighborhood.

While it’s exciting to light those fuses when dealing with explosive devices or fireworks like sparklers, Roman candles, and bottle rockets, there are safety tips everyone needs to remember provided by the prevention.com website.

— Sparklers burn at a temperature of about 2,000°F — enough to cause third-degree burns.

— Always be “on” around fireworks. Fireworks are no joke, and you or someone else can get seriously injured while using them.

— Never let children handle fireworks.

— Keep pets inside.

— Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.

— Don’t light a firework in your hand.

— Clear a large area around fireworks before you light them.

— Never re-light a “dud” firework.

— Avoid alcohol while handling fireworks.

— When you’re done, douse all firework devices with water.

— Know your local laws.

As mentioned previously, there are many stands located throughout the county from Roan Mountain to Stoney Creek and on over to the Central community where fireworks can be purchased which will go a long way in supporting local volunteer fire departments and school athletic teams.

One place that fireworks aren’t being sold are within the city limits of Elizabethton and there is a reason for that.

The City of Elizabethton has a firework ordinance in place that makes it illegal to sell or shoot fireworks within the city limits without having the proper permits that are obtained through the City of Elizabethton Fire Marshal.

Last year was the first year that the ordinance was in place and Police Chief Jason Shaw said, “We had some calls last year of where people were setting off fireworks in the city and we responded to each call accordingly to enforce the new ordinance.”

Penalties for failing to follow the ordinance include a $50 fine plus $50 in court cost.

There are large firework displays close by that Carter Countians can take advantage of including the fireworks that will be shot by the Elizabethton Twins after their game with Kingsport on Thursday evening as well as the Pepsi Fireworks Show at Freedom Hall Civic Center from 5 to 11 p.m. on Thursday as well.

Also, there will be fireworks at Lakeshore Marina on Watauga Lake around the Captain’s Table area from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday.