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DPS issues safety reminders for tonight’s revelry
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Posted on Dec 30 2008
The Department of Public Safety urged the public yesterday to follow safety measures when exploding firecrackers or lighting fireworks during tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.
DPS Patrol Commander Sgt. Joe Saures told Saipan Tribune that children must have adult supervision when exploding firecrackers.
Saures said that parents and adults should see to it that children don’t play with lighters and fire when popping firecrackers or lighting fireworks.
“They also must not aim [fireworks] at other peoples’ residences or at highways where vehicles are traveling because that can cause accidents and fire,” he said.
So far this year, the police have not received reports of any serious injuries related to firecrackers, unlike in the previous years when firecrackers were unregulated.
“I believe that this year it’s been regulated and our guys are making sure they are enforcing the firecracker law right now. We have already a law about firecrackers,” he said.
Saures said there are already regulations with respect to the sale of firecrackers.
“There are certain volumes of gunpowder allowed in the firecrackers. Now it is regulated to a certain capacity where it doesn’t really blow up and hurt people, unlike those in previous years,” he explained.
“I think the laws against firecrackers are pretty much good now. Whatever they put in them are less explosive than what we had in previous years,” Saures added.
On the issue of criminality during the holiday season, the DPS official said their Patrol Section has been intensifying community patrols in villages.
“We really are trying to do a lot of deterrence as far as within the villages are concerned because of a lot of theft cases, a lot of burglaries going on,” he said.
During late night or early morning Christmas Masses, Saures said, patrol officers were focused on residential areas because people were in churches.
He reminded motorists that there will be checkpoints on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to make sure that highways and streets are safe from drunk and drugged drivers.
Saures’ message to the public? “I wish them a very happy New Year and make sure they are safe and watch out for each other out there.”
