Fire brigade tips for handling fireworks on New Year's Eve

At the end of the year, the Chemnitz fire brigade provides some important information on safety when handling fireworks on New Year's Eve:

In Chemnitz, people over the age of 18 are allowed to set off New Year's Eve fireworks within the entire 24 hours on 31 December and within the 24 hours on 1 January. In the immediate vicinity of churches, hospitals, children's homes and old people's homes, however, the setting off of pyrotechnic objects is generally prohibited.
When buying fireworks, you should always look for the CE mark (e.g. WWWW) and the registration number (e.g. ZZZZ-F2 1234). WWWW stands for the identification number of the notified body that carries out the production control (e.g. 0589 for the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing), ZZZZ for the identification number of the notified body that carried out the type examination (e.g. 0589 for the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing), and F2 for pyrotechnic articles of category 2. The four-digit number is a specific number to identify the article.
Only fireworks that have been type-tested by a notified body such as the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) are safe to handle when used as intended.
Do not store purchased fireworks near heaters or open light.
Keep purchased fireworks out of the reach of children.
When using fireworks or other pyrotechnic products, always follow the instructions for use!
For category F2 fireworks, a safety distance of at least eight metres must always be maintained.
Particular care should be taken with products from abroad, as the instructions for use are often only printed in the respective national language or they often do not comply with local safety regulations. Stay away from black market goods! Never use illegal fireworks under any circumstances.
Never make your own fireworks! The consequential damage can be enormous.
Under no circumstances should fireworks intended for outdoor use be set off indoors.
When using rockets, make sure that you are standing securely. When setting off rockets, use a drinks crate instead of a free-standing bottle in which the bottle with the rocket is placed so that it cannot fall over when ignited.
When firing rockets, the direction of flight must be chosen so that they cannot fly into openings in buildings. Do not aim at people or animals!
Place firecrackers on the ground before lighting them and do not throw them out of your hand.
If you want to be on the safe side, remove flammable objects from balconies and building entrances.
Table fireworks should be lit on a non-flammable surface and not under paper garlands.
Leave unlit fireworks lying around and do not touch them.

Anyone who discovers a fire must report it immediately. The report should be made directly to the fire brigade by dialling 112. This emergency number can also be used to contact the emergency services in the event of an accident or serious injury. The report must include details of the location, street and house number. If people are in danger, this must also be stated.

The Chemnitz fire brigade appeals to all Chemnitz residents to exercise common sense and the necessary caution when dealing with open fires or fireworks and wishes everyone a good start to the New Year.