First responders concerned about response during Fourth of July holiday

HOUSTON - Many July 4th celebrations have been canceled due to the massive spike of coronavirus cases in our area, but that doesn’t mean that the concern over fireworks safety goes away.

People flock to fireworks stands during this time of year, but we may see an increase of more people doing their own fireworks because they are choosing to stay home.

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Local officials warn that it’s a bad idea because the Coronavirus already caused tremendous stress with staffing first responders.

Chief Sam Peña of the Houston Fire Department says, “Our first responders are busy enough. We have plenty of things that we are responding to, plenty of things we have to take care of without adding additional burdens, and without exposing your families to additional dangers.”

The Houston Fire Department has gone up close to 10% of personnel in quarantine. That’s about 280 firefighters who won’t be able to assist with calls during the July 4th weekend. It’s not just firefighters who are dealing with staffing issues.

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Peña mentioned, “As the virus is more prevalent in our community our firefighters, our first responders, police, firefighters, paramedics are going to be more have to be exposed, and that is going to have an impact on both departments ability to have enough personnel to staff our units.”

Fireworks are illegal in the city of Houston, yet the calls go up during this time of year for injuries, or house fires caused by fireworks, and with hospitals in our area going overcapacity in their intensive care units to treat COVID-19 patients, it’s the last place you would want to go on a holiday weekend.

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Susan Christian is the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. She cautions “Let the professionals do your fireworks for you, and y’all stay home and watch, or watch from your backyards, watch from your apartments. If you get in your car go to a place that you can properly Socially distance. Stay in your car, sit on your hood, enjoy a great show.”

You can watch the Freedom Over Texas fireworks show virtually on Saturday at https://www.houstontx.gov/july4/index.html