The first holiday of the summer is upon us and as the Fourth of July is celebrated the Dunkirk Police Department has a few safety tips that could make your celebration safe and happy.

Fireworks are a traditional part of celebrating Fourth of July and can be a safe and enjoyable part of the holiday if left to the professionals. With the exception of the licensed professionals, possession and use of dangerous fireworks are illegal. Use of dangerous fireworks can cause serious injuries especially to children.

Even though Sparklers are legal during the July Holiday we urge parents to supervise their children with the use of sparklers as they can still cause injury if not used properly. Just a reminder any fireworks that can be shot in the air or explode are illegal to possess. This time of the year we get inundated with fireworks complaints. We will answer calls for fireworks complaints as best we can pending call volume activity.

Many activities are planned for July 3 and 4 such as music and food vendors in Memorial Park. On July 4, there will be a fireworks display from the City Pier at dusk and we invite everyone to come to the waterfront and enjoy the show.

Please note that The City Pier and Boat Launch will be completely closed at Lakeshore Drive early afternoon on July 4 with limited access days prior due to set up for the Fireworks. No boats can be moored to the City Pier on July 4th due to safety regulation of the Fireworks Company. On July 4 please park in the City Parking Lots near Second/Washington, Third/Central and areas away from Lakeshore Drive and walk to the Waterfront area. Due to the heavy amount of traffic this helps alleviate traffic congestion. As parking becomes limited later in the evening please do not park in a spot where you will obstruct or block the safe flow of traffic and access for Emergency Vehicles. If your vehicle obstructs or blocks the safe flow of traffic it will be ticketed and towed.

When leaving the area after the fireworks please use Central Avenue, Main Street, Brigham Road, and South Roberts Road as the quickest routes away from the waterfront area. Many traffic lights will be on flash and there will be Police Officers and Fire Police at intersections, please be patient with them and follow their directions. All efforts should be made to avoid Lakeshore Drive as it will have heavy traffic volume during the evening. After the fireworks there will be no traffic allowed to proceed East on Lakeshore Drive from Brigham Road or West on Lakeshore Drive from Main Street. Traffic will be diverted South on Brigham Road and Main Street at these intersections. This is done to allow the most efficient flow of traffic away from Lakeshore Drive and the Waterfront areas.

After the Fireworks please make right hand turns only when exiting side streets and parking lots to help with traffic congestion. Please use crosswalks when crossing roadways.

Those who will be enjoying the City’s Parks and Beaches are also reminded to obey all of the rules regarding alcohol consumption, littering, no glass containers allowed in any City Park areas, noise, dog restrictions/cleaning up after them and parking regulations. No parking on the grass areas of any Parks. Please keep all dogs on a leash and a safe distance from other people. We also remind pet owners that some animals can be sensitive to loud noises so please make sure to keep an extra eye on them during July 4 activities. A Fourth of July family holiday or any outing can be ruined by those who disregard the laws and are not courteous. We remind everyone about bicycle safety rules, all bicycles must follow the rules as if they were operating a motor vehicle, helmets are required for bicyclists under the age of 14. For pedestrians that walk in the roadway, you must walk single file facing traffic and you can’t obstruct traffic.

During this holiday and as always if you have celebrated too much and can’t safely and responsibly operate your vehicle please don’t. Have a designated driver, find a designated driver or walk. Real friends won’t let their friends get behind the wheel and operate a vehicle when they know it can’t be done safely. Avoid confronting aggressive drivers and report any unsafe operation to the Police. Please remember to wear a seatbelt and make sure that children are properly secured in a child safety seat, it’s a proven fact that seatbelts and child safety seats save lives. Talking on a cell phone while driving and especially texting while driving can have tragic results.

Please pay attention July 4th and throughout the entire summer for large crowds along the waterfront areas, City Parks, during festivals, music on the Pier and on weekends. Please slow down and watch for pedestrian traffic. Be courteous regarding excessive noise from vehicles and residences, you can be charged with a City Code Violation. The Fourth of July and the entire summer can be a very safe and happy time for everyone if we follow the rules and are all responsible and courteous and have respect for others.

We will have extra Patrols in service for the Holiday and during festivals and events. Please call 911 for emergencies or our Communications Desk at 716-366-2266 for any needs or assistance.

We wish all our area residents and visitors a happy and safe summer season.

David Ortolano is chief of the city of Dunkirk Police Department.