STOW, Mass. — Every year in Massachusetts, illegal fireworks cause fires, explosions, property damage, and serious injuries.
As we enter the weeks around July 4, when more than 60 percent of these incidents occur, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine is reminding residents and visitors to leave fireworks to the professionals.
"Fireworks are inherently dangerous," said State Fire Marshal Davine. "Possessing or using them in Massachusetts requires licensing and certification. They are illegal for personal use here even if purchased legally in another state. These laws work: the rate of fireworks injuries in Massachusetts is about one-fifth the national average."
Over the past five years, fireworks have caused 532 fires and explosions, about $1.5 million in property damage, and more than 200 serious injuries that required treatment in a hospital emergency department. The following incidents were reported last year alone:
On May 21, 2023, a Kingston man who was allegedly manufacturing destructive devices for use as homemade fireworks suffered life-altering injuries to his hands, chest, and face. He was MedFlighted to Brigham and Women's Hospital. Additional devices found at the scene were secured and rendered safe by the State Police Bomb Squad.
On July 3, 2023, commercial-grade fireworks caused a fire on the second-floor porch of a multi-family home in Chelsea. State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal's office and Chelsea officials determined that commercial-grade aerial fireworks being discharged in front of a nearby masonry business struck the rear porch and ignited combustible materials. Additional fireworks were found nearby and seized.
On July 4, 2023, a West Yarmouth man was badly injured after attempting to discharge illegal fireworks. He was transported first to Cape Cod Hospital and then to Brigham and Women's Hospital with severe injuries to his right hand and thigh.
On July 5, 2023, a teenage boy lost part of his hand and a teenage girl suffered burn injuries after igniting illegal fireworks in Hyde Park. Both were transported to the hospital for their injuries.
On July 7, 2023, a residential structure fire in Danvers displaced four residents. State Police and Danvers fire investigators determined that it was caused by the unsafe use of sparklers in the home's basement during an Independence Day party. This was the second year in a row in which sparklers caused a fire that displaced all residents from a home: in 2022, a similar fire in Dracut went to three alarms.
Massachusetts law requires police to seize any illegal fireworks they encounter in the course of their duties. People who use or possess them illegally are also subject to a fine, while the illegal sale of fireworks is an arrestable offense that carries potential jail time.
"We want everyone to have a safe, happy Fourth of July," State Fire Marshal Davine said. "Please don't risk a fire, injury, or a day in court. There are dozens of permitted municipal shows across Massachusetts this season, so leave fireworks to the professionals."
The Department of Fire Services posts a list of permitted fireworks displays and updates it each week through the summer. To view the list – and to learn more about the dangers of illegal fireworks – visit the DFS website.
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Companion Corner: Glo at the Berkshire Humane Society
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and playful dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for her new family.
iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.
"Glo is about a one-year-old, sweet female pitty mix who has nothing but love to give," said kennel supervisor Stacey Broderick.
Glo has been at the shelter for about three weeks after unfortunately being kicked out of her previous home.
"She came here because her previous home, she was being crated an awful lot, and unfortunately, was creating a little bit of a raucous when she was left by herself," said Broderick. "So she was just being a little barky, a little loud. Neighbors obviously shared walls in an apartment setting we're complaining to the landlord, and the landlord said, unfortunately, that she had to go."
But since coming to the shelter she has been learning a lot.
"She's been nothing but a sweet little girl ever since she is working on crate training, she has been very good for us. We're practicing it with her. She is also working on her house training. In addition to it, it seems that we had a little bit of a reverse situation going on, where she likes to go potties inside, but we are working very hard, and she is learning so quickly," she said. "So even after just a couple weeks with us, she's been really getting the point to go outside and do all of her potties out there."
She would do best in the home as the only dog and possibly without cats. She would also do best with older children who can understand her needs as she needs less activity than other dogs.
"The perfect home would, because of the necessity for her to have a lower activity level, probably without other dogs, just because she can get a little bit rambunctious when she gets excited around them," Broderick said. "So she could certainly have doggie play dates, but her perfect home would be no dogs. Unfortunately, we do have a bit of a prey drive with kitty cats, so probably leaning away from the cats, unless they're incredibly dog savvy ...
"Probably looking toward a home without super young kids, just so they're not jumping, you know, or leaning, or anything along those lines, and understanding that sometimes she's going to just need a break."
Because of a medical condition she wouldn't be able to go on long hikes or do anything extraneous but she is still very active and playful.
"She is absolutely lovely. She's sweet, she's young, she's playful. She wants to be with her people all the time. She loves toys. She does like going out for walks. We do have a couple of medical things that we can certainly give more information to adopters, too," she said. "We have some hip dysplasia that we're looking at, so probably moderate activity level would be best for her.
"She shouldn't necessarily be going on super long hikes, even though she would love to, but she is young and full of life and full of energy, and wants nothing more than to be with her people."
Since Glo has hip dysplasia she will need to maintain a healthy weight to not add stress to her joints and can also benefit from hydrotherapy.
"It's something that somebody will have to have a good relationship with a veterinarian physical therapists, and then if they were interested in doing a hydrotherapy type situation, it can only help her," Broderick said. "We want to keep those muscles built up in the hind end so that her hips are not taking the brunt of the bone on bone action while she is kind of living out her very best life."
Glo hasn't shown any symptoms or difficulties since being at the shelter, but it is a condition that her owners need to understand and it increases her chances of arthritis as she gets older.
Broderick said Fritters Critters in Lee specializes in pet hydrotherapy.
"They basically work on an underwater treadmill. So that's walking under the water so that she has a little bit of resistance and the water is warm, so that it's optimum for therapeutic benefits," she said. "They do have a pool there, too, where she would be able to do some swimming, and it really gives her the ability to exercise and really extend those joints and build up those muscles without the added pressure of gravity and impact as she's walking or playing or running.
"So the hydrotherapy is a great option for dogs, even if you just want to do it for fun. She could really benefit healthwise, from it, too."
She will also have to stay on her joint mobility food to help her.
But Glo is a very happy and playful dog and loves everyone she sees and is hoping to find someone who will love her just as much to take her home.
"I can't say enough good about her. I know that the hip dysplasia sounds like a scary piece of it, as well as the house training," Broderick said. "But honestly, there was not a friendlier, sweeter, more outgoing, social, wants to be best friends with you, kind of dog. She was in the front lobby this past Saturday, and she met like 10 people at the same time, and just made rounds and loved every single person as they came in."
You can visit Glo at the Berkshire Humane Society and read more about her on the website.
The Berkshire Humane Society is open Tuesday through Sunday. The adoption center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
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