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The Fourth of July weekend is coming up, and Suffolk Police, Suffolk Fire & Rescue and the Suffolk Fire Marshal’s Office, as well as the Division of Mosquito Control and others, want you to have fun this holiday but still play it safe.

Leave pyrotechnics to the professionals

The Suffolk Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding citizens that the use or sale of fireworks in the city is prohibited by city code. Fireworks includes firecrackers, sparklers, Roman candles, skyrockets and more — anything that produces a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration or detonation.

Every Independence Day, thousands of people — most often children and teens — are injured while using consumer fireworks. They start an average of 19,500 fires per year, and burns account for 44% of the injuries treated in emergency rooms around July 4. Sparklers themselves account for about one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries — they burn at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

In short, leave the fireworks to the experts. You can see the story on page 1 for more information about the two fireworks displays happening in Suffolk on Sunday evening.

For more information on fire safety, please contact the Suffolk Fire Marshal’s Office at 757-514-4540.

Be safe while motoring and boating

The Suffolk Police Department is reminding motorists and boaters to make safety a priority and will drive that point home by increasing patrols throughout the holiday weekend on our roads and waterways.

They ask that people celebrate responsibly by arranging for a sober driver, wearing your seatbelt every trip, and refraining from distractions while behind the wheel. The three main causes of highway fatalities are aggressive driving, impaired driving, and failure to use occupant restraints.

Many will also be enjoying the 4th of July festivities from a boat.  Alcohol and boating is also a dangerous combination and can lead to boat operation problems as well as drowning. Just as you would with a car, appoint a designated driver to operate the boat.

Avoid mosquito bites

You can avoid the bite of mosquitoes by following these recommendations:

• Remain indoors during times of greatest mosquito activity — from one hour before dusk to one hour before dawn.
• Wear loose, long, and light-colored clothing when outdoors
• Use insect repellants containing DEET, picaridan, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus, Para-menthane-diol, 2-undecanone.  Follow the label instructions for correct usage.
• You can help eliminate mosquito-breeding sites around your home and neighborhood by following these simple steps:
• Empty water-holding containers:
• Properly dispose of used tires.
• Clear roof gutters, downspouts and corrugated black drainpipes of any water collection.
• Clean wading and swimming pools.
• Drain water from tarps.
• Place Mosquito Dunks in stagnant water areas around your home which include ditches and low lying areas. Free Mosquito Dunks are available to Suffolk citizens at Fire Stations, Public Works Mosquito Control Office, Media & Community Relations Office in City Hall, as well as the East Suffolk Recreation Center and Whaleyville Recreation Center.