VANCOUVER – Halloween should be filled with candy, costumes and fun times with friends and family, but it can also be a potentially dangerous holiday.
The Vancouver Police Department is warning about how to safely use fireworks and what fireworks are illegal to buy and sell in Vancouver.
Roman candles, firecrackers and bottle rockets are either illegal or banned in Vancouver, with firecrackers and bottle rockets also being illegal across Canada.
“The bottle rockets because they’re very unpredictable,” said Cst. Brian Montague, spokesperson for the Vancouver Police. “You light them and you’re not sure where they’re going to go. We actually had a young lady in Vancouver who lost an eye because of a bottle rocket.”
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“The firecrackers because again, a little unpredictable,” he added. We’ve had individuals that have lost fingertips, and things like that because of them.”
In 2011, 17-year-old Adam Felardeau was seriously injured when a M-80 firework, a large firecracker, blew up in his hand.
“I was at a friend’s watching a movie and being careless with a lighter. It hit the wick and all I could think of was to yell ‘Run’ to my friends,” said Felardeau at the time.
“I showed up at the hospital drenched in blood and I woke up with two fingertips missing and two pins in my hand.”
Montague said Roman Candles are also a safety concern. “People will generally hold on to them and use them as, shoot the projectiles at people, objects, homes, sheds, animals,” he said. “So again, a huge safety concern.”
The Vancouver Police Department is partnering with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, BC Ambulance Service and the Canadian National Fireworks Association to promote Halloween safety.
Montague warned people will be hit with a $500 fine for discharging fireworks without a permit.
Extra police officers will be out to deal with the higher-than-normal 9-1-1 calls and will be providing a visible police presence on Granville Street and near schools and parks.
Halloween Safety Tips from Vancouver Police:
- wear bright costumes or include reflective tape, glow sticks, flashlights or other articles that improve visibility
- use face paint or make-up instead of a mask
- younger kids should trick or treat with an adult, older kids should be in a group
- stay in well-lit areas and only go to houses that have lights on
- drivers are reminded to be patient and be aware of the children who may be excited, darting around neighbourhoods and not looking for cars
READ MORE: Halloween safety tips for trick-or-treaters
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