The first holiday of the summer is upon us. As the Fourth of July is celebrated, the Dunkirk Police Department offers a few safety tips and announcements regarding road closures and waterfront updates to help make your celebration safe and enjoyable.

Fireworks are a traditional part of celebrating the Fourth and can be a safe and enjoyable part of the holiday if left to the professionals. Except for the licensed professionals, possession and use of dangerous fireworks are illegal. The use of dangerous fireworks can cause serious injuries, especially to children. Even though sparklers are legal during the holiday, police 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. At this time of year, we receive an influx of fireworks complaints. We will answer calls for fireworks complaints as best we can, pending call volume activity.

Many activities are planned for today and Friday, including live music and food vendors in Memorial Park. On Friday, 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.

The Dunkirk Pier will be closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic starting through Saturday afternoon, July 5 for fireworks set up and post-event clean up.

Friday, the city pier and boat launch will be closed entirely at the Lakeshore Drive intersection early afternoon on July 4, with limited access days prior due to setup for the fireworks. No boats can be moored to the city pier on July 4 due to safety regulations 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 refrain from parking in a spot that would obstruct or block the safe flow of traffic and access for emergency vehicles. Some busy streets along the waterfront will have no parking on one side of street signage to prevent congestion. 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, no traffic will be 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 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 keep a close 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 bicyclists must follow the rules as if they were operating a motor vehicle, and helmets are required for bicyclists under the age of 14. For pedestrians who 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 one, 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 your seatbelt and ensure that children are correctly 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 on July 4 and throughout the entire summer to large crowds in waterfront areas, city parks, during festivals, music on the Pier, and weekends. Please slow down and watch for pedestrian traffic. Be courteous regarding excessive noise from vehicles and residences; failure to do so may result in 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, are all responsible and courteous, and have respect for others.

Police will have extra patrols in service for the holiday. 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,” city police noted.