Following an incident which resulted in the extensive injury of a man’s hand, emergency services are again warning of the dangers of fireworks and urging all those celebrating, to act responsibly this Territory Day.
It is alleged a 20-year-old man held onto a lit firecracker at a party in Pine Creek early Sunday morning, causing significant damage to his hand.
The victim was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital where he remains in a stable condition.
District Officer Dave Pettit from the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service reminds people that the legal time to set off fireworks is between 6pm and 11pm Tuesday 1 July.
“Each year our fire crews respond to bushfires over the days preceding and following cracker night as a result of people setting off fireworks illegally,” District Officer Pettit said.
Last year between 6pm – 12am, the Territory Communications Section was inundated with 1,703 Triple Zero ‘000’ calls of those 1,335 were related to fires.
“We are pleading with people to only light fireworks between the designated 6pm-11pm time period, not only to avoid causing bushfires which needn’t have occurred, but also to avoid large on the spot fines.
Please follow some basic safety tips when letting off their fireworks during the allotted time -
- Be aware of the weather conditions and understand that fire can take hold very quickly when the wind is blowing. Keep a hose or bucket of water handy to extinguish small fires before they get out of control.
- Light fireworks in a clear area free of nearby combustible material.
- Keep an eye on children and keep them a safe distance from the crackers.
- Be aware if your pets do not like fireworks and take necessary precautions to keep them settled.
- Ensure fireworks are used in a manner that is safe and as intended and take measures to ensure they do not tip over. Placing them in sand can eliminate this threat.
If you witnesses any fireworks being let off outside of permitted hours, contact Police on 131 444. Please remember – Only call Triple Zero ‘000’ in an emergency.
For further information on safely enjoying fireworks, please click here.
