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4th Of July From The Past

We all look forward to celebrating the 4th of July every year, but we also have to be smart in order to keep everyone safe. When my kids were growing up we would go to the park to picnic and celebrate with friends.

Sparklers were popular back then, and my younger son was wearing sandals and holding a sparkler where a spark fell on his foot and gave him a small burn! Beware of these legal fireworks, as they call them “Safe and Sane”. Be careful with them around small children, as it is illegal for anyone under 18 to use them.

When we first moved to Sacramento, neighbors in our court would gather with legal fireworks and share the experience in a safe manner. We would have our hoses, buckets and water ready and clean up after celebrating.

How Things Have Changed Within The Last Few Years

Cal-Expo and other local areas have fireworks shows, but they are always so crowded and take hours to get out of. We stay at home and try to watch the Macy Fireworks Spectacular on TV. It is an amazing show if you can get through the noise of the illegal ones in our neighborhood.

Then as the years passed we started hearing loud booms and found remnants of illegal fireworks in our yard and on our roof. The next day that we had to clean it up.

In the past few years, it seems like all we hear are illegal fireworks for weeks before and after the 4th, so our dog has many days of anxiety and fear. She hears them and will pee on the floor and pace back and forth through our house trying to find a safe area to hide. We have tried medication and wraps, but that doesn’t work for her. The thing that calms her down the most is to put her in her crate and cover it with a towel in our bedroom. It ends up being a long night!

It makes it where I don’t ever look forward to the 4th of July anymore! Last year I looked on the Good Neighbor app and saw so many complaints on dog anxiety and what medication to give them. You would also see illegal activity phone calls that were not being answered and the frustration of all of it!

I am at the point to ban all fireworks, except at professional events that have supervised legal firework displays. It has become such a headache otherwise!

American Red Cross Safety Tips For The 4th Of July

Here Are The Safety Basics When Using “Safe And Sane” Fireworks:

• All legal fireworks in California are called Safe and Sane Fireworks and must bear the State Fire Marshal’s seal.
• Safe and Sane Fireworks may only be used and sold from noon June 28 through midnight on July 4.
• Any firework that goes up in the air or explodes is illegal and dangerous.
• Always have a bucket of water to dispose of fireworks and leave them in the water overnight before disposing of them.
• Always have a hose connected to water available in case of fire.
• Do not use fireworks near dry grass or other flammable materials.
• Do not use fireworks while under a canopy, covered balcony, covered patio, or under a tree or bushes.

Keeping Your Pets Safe:

• Leave your pets safely indoors, preferably with a radio or TV turned on to soften the loud noises and booms. 
• Many pets if left outside escape fromt the yard as the loud noises frighten them and they can end up at the pound, lost, or hit and killed by a vehicle.
• If you are outside keep them leashed and under your direct control at all times.
• Check with your vet about medications and techniques that might work in keeping them calm during the celebrating.

Safety At The River Or Near Water

• Provide close attention to children in your group who are near water, and make sure when in the water they have approved and properly fitted life jackets.
• Children, inexperienced swimmers, and all boaters should wear properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
• Do not drink in a boat or around water.
• Make sure you and your family and kids wear sunscreen of at least 30 or more SPF and follow the directions.
• Wear hats to protect your head and ears.
• Make sure a lifeguard is around where there is swimming.
• Rivers can have fast undercurrents that make it not safe to swim, so beware before going in the water.
• Follow all the rules and warnings.

Food Safety When Celebrating And Leaving Food Out:

• If you are at the park or river having a picnic, do not leave food out in the heat for too long (especially food made with mayonnaise).
• If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out for more than 1 hour.
•  The key is to never let your picnic food remain in the “Danger Zone” — between 40 °F and 140 °F — for more than 2 hours.
• Use warm, soapy water to wash hands for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.
• When using hand sanitizer, make sure to choose one that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• You can use towelettes and paper towels to help clean and sanitize any cutting boards or utensils while you’re outside and away from your kitchen.
• If you keep your hands and surfaces clean when handling food it will help lessen the spread of germs and foodborne illness-causing bacteria.
• Keep raw meat and poultry away from your ready-to-eat food by putting them in separate coolers.
• Use different plates and utensils for the raw meat and cooked to help prevent cross-contamination.
• Use a meat thermometer to cook thoroughly through the internal part of the meat that is suggested.

Food Safety Tips

Here is a popular recipe for the 4th, by a fellow blogger from Natasha’s Kitchen: Chipotle Flank Steak Recipe by Natasha’s Kitchen See all her wonderful recipes on Pinterest!

How to report illegal sale and usage of fireworks in the Sacramento area:

• Unincorporated: 916-874-5115 or reportfireworks@saccounty.net 
• Sacramento: 916-808-3473(FIRE)​ or “Nail ‘Em” App
• Folsom: 916-355-7231 
• Elk Grove: fireworks@elkgrovepd.org​ or “Nail ‘Em” App
• Rancho Cordova: 916-362-5115 
• Citrus Heights: 916-727-5500 
• Galt: 209-366-7000 

In Closing

I hope all of you have a safe and happy 4th of July! It would be nice if the rules and warnings weren’t ignored on illegal fireworks, to make it a fun day where we don’t have to worry about anxiety in ourselves or our pets. I want to remember the days as they were when my sons were growing up. Where you could go to a park with friends and family and have fun eating good food and watching amazing legal firework displays. Stay safe!!

Happy 4th Of July!

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Posts may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases and collect a small commission at no cost to you. This helps my blog to keep going. Thank you! For more info, read my disclosure policy.

Here are some party supplies from Amazon to help you celebrate the 4th!