JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 2021 is coming to a close and that means it’ll soon be time to ring in a new year, and what better way than to celebrate with some fireworks.
Fireworks consumer Oliver Epstein looks forward to a big New Year’s fireworks display each year.
Wednesday morning, he was stocking up on some of his favorites at TNT Fireworks on Atlantic Boulevard.
“We love these big shows because you light them, and they just go on and on and everyone loves them,” Epstein said.
Because of a law that was passed in Florida in 2020, people can legally set off fireworks three days out of the year: on the 4th of July, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
TNT Fireworks told Action News Jax no matter which fireworks you choose, it’s important that consumers set them off safely.
Steve Callahan, a fireworks operator for TNT, said always keep fireworks away from children and pets and properly dispose of them.
“The biggest thing is make sure they’re all cold, make sure you’ve waited the time and then, if you want to, you can put them in a bucket of water,” Callahan said.
Some additional safety tips include keeping a hose or bucket of water nearby. Never carry a firework in your pocket - or hold a lit firework in your hand, and always light one firework at a time.
Like many industries, Callahan said the fireworks business has been hit with supply chain issues.
“The shipping cost. That’s one of the biggest additions for our cost. Our products come with containers and that’s one of the big stories now is the containers,” Callahan said.
With the new year just around the corner, Epstein said he’s ready to say goodbye to 2021.
“Looking forward to a new one to start again. It’s been a great year. Healthy, happy got my daughter and her friends, just make everybody happy,” Epstein said.