Families across our community will soon be celebrating our nation's freedom as the upcoming Independence Day Holiday approaches.

There are over 10,000 firework related injuries reported in the United States each year, and in an effort to help keep families safe during the upcoming holiday, Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves offers the following safety tips and reminders:

• Have a "designated shooter" who has not been consuming alcohol.
• Remember bottle rockets and sky rockets which are mounted on a stick are illegal in the State of Kansas.
• Keep an adequate water supply close by while discharging fireworks.
• Parents should closely monitor children if they are discharging fireworks.
• Never experiment with homemade fireworks or alter those which have been purchased from a vendor.
• Don't position any part of your body of a firework when lighting them.

"Several of the cities within the county - Baxter Springs, Columbus, Galena and Weir - have ordinances related to the specific dates and times when fireworks can be discharged so I encourage those discharging fireworks within the cities to be sure they are within the dates and times allowed," concluded Sheriff Groves.

Upcoming community Freedom Events include the Baxter Springs City Celebration Saturday, July 1st on West 19th Street and the Columbus Fire Freedom Fest, being held on Saturday, July 8th, starting at 5:00 p.m. at the Columbus City Park.