Fireworks go on sale today in some parts of Barton County. But just because people can buy them doesn’t mean they can light them, at least not legally, said John Stettinger, battalion chief at the Great Bend Fire Department.
Within the city limits of Great Bend, fireworks don’t go on sale until Sunday, July 1. But in all parts of Barton County, the only day for legally shooting off fireworks is Independence Day, July 4.
In some parts of the county, fireworks can be lit that day between the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight. In Great Bend, the legal hours for fireworks are 10 a.m. to midnight, Stettinger said.
When fireworks sales start today, the number of complaints will start, too, if past years are any indication. “Just because they’re being sold doesn’t allow you to shoot them,” Stettinger said. And if police catch anyone shooting fireworks before the Fourth, the fireworks will be confiscated, he added.
“We want the Fourth of July to be a safe time for everybody,” the battalion chief said.
Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano said this year’s dry weather is an added concern for firefighters. “One of our biggest concerns is our limited resources,” he said. While other fire departments are willing to provide mutual aid to a fire crew in need of assistance, fire departments throughout the state find the Fourth of July to be the busiest day of the year.
In 2011, the Great Bend Fire Department responded to 26 fire calls on the Fourth of July.