Safety first with Fourth of July fireworks in St. Regis

The largest July 4 fireworks display in Mineral County is held in St. Regis, and it offers a perfect way to celebrate the national holiday while helping to keep the community safe from devastating fires.

Volunteer firefighter Kat Kitteridge said local departments get a lot of calls for burns this time of year and people shoot fireworks in grassy fields.

“It seems we chase fires every year. That’s why we have the designated area over at the St. Regis town park and people can shoot them off the Point, over into the river,” she said.

“We have the county’s largest fireworks display here in St. Regis at the park and every year we buy fireworks and ask for donations during the parade.”

She said they recently got a shipment of fireworks for this year’s show and volunteers with the fire department will be wiring them for the display, which starts at dusk.

“We have loads of fun,” Kat said. There’s a pancake breakfast held in the St. Regis School cafeteria from 8 to 10 a.m. put on by the New Day Fellowship churches located in St. Regis, Superior and Haugan. This is followed by a parade at 11 a.m. and then there are kids games at 1 p.m.

There are usually logger games at 4 p.m. but she said they probably won’t have them this year, “everybody is getting spread pretty thin these days,” she said about the event.

With the fireworks, there’s an area in the park where the fire department shoots them off and then there’s another part where people can shoot off their own. Kat said that several of the firefighters volunteer their time to get the donations and put the show together and the display usually runs around $5,000.

To help stay safe on the holiday weekend, people should wear long-sleeved shirts to help protect against burns. Hands and arms get burned the most, she said. If someone is burned flush the area with water immediately to minimize it.

Also, people should make sure to stay hydrated and to wear lots of sun screen.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety says that parents should always supervise firework activities and children should never be given fireworks. Also, make sure to read all labels and performance descriptions before igniting and to wear safety glasses.

Light fireworks one at a time and quickly move away, keeping them clear from buildings and vehicles. Never try to relight a “dud” firework, instead wait 20 minutes and then put it into a bucket of water. Always have a hose and water nearby and never shoot fireworks into metal or glass containers and never carry them in a pocket. Bring pets inside and put them in an interior room to avoid exposure to sound and make sure they have identification in case they do run off.