Many of you are probably planning on setting off fireworks during the holiday weekend. If so, there are some safety tips you should keep in mind. The first thing you want to do is pay attention to what kind of firework you are buying.

You need to make sure you have the fireworks pointed in the correct direction, away from you and any audience who is watching. Secondly, a good tip is to tear the paper off the tops of your fireworks. If you do this, not only will you be able to see what kind of firework is under the paper, you will also have less to clean up.

Many people buy mortars, and it’s important to pay attention when loading mortars. Many are labeled top and bottom and most injuries with mortars occur when people load them incorrectly.

Also, if you buy a cheaper mortar set, the tube is likely to be made of cardboard. These tubes are only meant to be used specifically for the fireworks once.

If you buy a higher quality brand, the tube will be made out of PVC or plastic, and these are a higher quality and can be used more than once.

It’s also a good idea to support your mortars with a brick or some type of heavy weight to prevent it from tipping over. The same rule applies to your actual firework.

The worst thing that could happen is it falls over and shoots into your crowd; so make sure your fireworks are weighted down well.

When it comes to sparklers, it’s good to use wooden or bamboo ones over metal. Wood sparklers burn up as they go, and you’re not left with any hot metal afterwards.

It’s also important to pay attention to your surroundings. With dry conditions lately, it’s important not to light fireworks near any dry grass.

A single spark from a firework can ignite an entire field. While setting off fireworks, always keep a hose and bucket of water nearby in case you would need to put out any fires.