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Fireworks And Safety In Focus For Fourth
fireworks
Phillip Ramirez is shown here with a Phantom Awestruck Fireworks assortment supporting the Riverbank Vendettas all girl traveling softball team for girls 10 to 12 years old that have a booth for the first time to help raise funds for tournaments, fees, rooms, and other expenses that families incur. - photo by VIRGINIA STILL/THE NEWS

The Fourth of July holiday is this Friday and fireworks booths have popped up all around Riverbank, with the majority of them raising funds for their cause, ranging from local sports teams to churches. Booths were allowed to open at noon on Saturday, June 28 and can remain open through midnight on July 4, selling the State Fire Marshal-approved Safe and Sane Fireworks.

Find your safe fireworks at the following locations:

Riverbank High School Athletic Boosters booth, hosting a fundraiser that will provide scholarships for students that graduate in 2015, at 2525 Patterson Road in the Galaxy Theatre parking lot.

The Riverbank Raiders Youth Football and Cheer have a booth at 2213 Patterson Road in the Penzoil and Lube parking lot.

The Riverbank Vendettas girls fast pitch softball team has a booth at 3442 Atchison, in the Sno-White Drive-In parking lot.

Riverbank Assembly of God Church has fireworks for sale at 6344 Roselle Ave.

Stop by the Central Valley Community Resources booth on the corner of Third and Stanislaus streets to pick up fireworks for your celebration. The funds raised will help support programs like Senior Brunch Friday, Immigration Assistance, Luggage Drive for Foster Youth, Let’s Move through Healthy Eating Active Living, and Holidays Giveaway for Residential Care Homes and Senior Meals on Wheels in Riverbank.

Riverbank Apostolic Church (CBA) has a fireworks booth at 2119 Patterson Road in the Bella Italia parking lot.

Community Praise Tabernacle has fireworks at the O’Brien’s Market parking lot at 6331 Oakdale Road in Riverbank.

Officials remind everyone to play it safe with fireworks and holiday celebrations this year, with the area in a severe drought and conditions ripe for wildfire.

Friday, July 4 is also a national holiday so all Riverbank city offices will be closed, in addition to banks, the post office and many businesses. The Riverbank News office will also be closed in observance of the holiday.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety website, www.fireworksafety.com, urges consumers to practice safe and responsible use of fireworks during Fourth of July festivities.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these common sense safety tips for using consumer fireworks in the hopes that injuries to consumers can be greatly reduced this season. It is up to consumers to use fireworks in a safe and responsible manner:

Parents and caretakers should always closely supervise teens if they are using fireworks.

Parents should not allow young children to handle or use fireworks.

Fireworks should only be used outdoors.

Always have water ready if you are using fireworks.

Know your fireworks; read the caution label before igniting.

Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.

Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Save your alcohol for after the show.

Wear safety glasses whenever using fireworks.

Only light one firework at a time.

Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

Avoid using homemade fireworks or illegal explosives; they can kill you.

Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quarter sticks, to the fire or police department.

Lastly, soak spent fireworks with water before placing them in an outdoor, fire resistant garbage can away from buildings and flammable materials.