MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
As fireworks sales ramp up ahead of Independence Day, the Hutchinson Fire Department is making multiple daily inspections of all fireworks stand in the city to help ensure products are being sold and displayed safely. We tagged along as they inspected a tent on Friday morning.
Fire Inspector Jerry Dowling said each inspection begins before customers even reach the tent.
"The first things we're looking for are the 'No Fireworks Discharge' and 'No Smoking' signs," Dowling said. "We also make sure the safety flagging is in place around the tent to keep vehicles from getting too close."
The perimeter barriers are designed to prevent motorists from parking alongside the temporary structures, something Dowling said has been an issue in previous years.
Once inside a stand, inspectors verify that fire extinguishers are readily available, exit signs are properly posted, and shelves are arranged safely. They also inspect the fireworks themselves, ensuring only legal products are being sold.
Kansas law prohibits the sale of items such as bottle rockets and Chinese lanterns. Dowling said inspectors also check that fireworks are undamaged and that protective coverings over fuses remain secured.
"If those fuse covers start coming up, they need to be taped back down," he said. "We're also looking for any damaged products that could become a safety hazard."
Dowling said inspections don't stop after a stand opens. His day begins around 6 a.m., and he visits all 13 licensed fireworks tents in Hutchinson two to three times each day throughout the selling season.
"It's just a matter of making sure the extinguishers are in place, making sure there's nothing wrong with any of the fireworks, and checking that everything being sold is legal," Dowling said.
So far this year, Dowling said inspectors have not discovered any illegal fireworks in Hutchinson stands. However, he noted that state fire marshals have found prohibited items, including bottle rockets, packaged in multipack assortments elsewhere in Kansas.
He also emphasized the importance of using fireworks as intended, particularly Roman candles and similar tube-style devices.
"These are meant to go in the ground and not be held in your hand," Dowling said. "People sometimes attach ropes to them to make handles, and that's not how they're designed to be used. We want to cut down on emergency room visits and burn injuries."
Before a fireworks stand can open, it must pass multiple inspections. Fire department personnel first verify that required signage, flagging, fire extinguishers, exits and shelving are properly installed before allowing inventory to be delivered. After the fireworks arrive, inspectors return to examine the products before approving the stand to begin sales.
Dowling said weather also plays a role in safety inspections. Fireworks that become wet or damaged cannot be sold.
"Earlier this week, after the rain, a couple of stands had fireworks that got water on them," he said. "Those products had to be removed and disposed of properly, usually by returning them to the distributor."
With thousands of customers expected to purchase fireworks over the holiday weekend, Dowling said the department's frequent inspections are intended to protect both vendors and the public while helping ensure everyone enjoys a safe Fourth of July celebration.