The Duluth Fire Department is encouraging the community to celebrate the Fourth of July with chalk instead of fireworks.
The department is joining the Chalk It Up Campaign, created by the State Fire Marshal's Office in 2019 to provide a quiet and safe way to experience fireworks.
“We know that there are members of our community who are triggered by loud noises,” Deputy Chief Jon Otis said in a news release from the department. “This campaign is a great way for residents to be creative and share special firework memories or their favorite kind of firework with their neighbors in a way that is quiet and safe.”
Each year around the Fourth of July holiday, Minnesotans are treated for firework-related injuries. Forty percent of those injuries happen to children, the news release said.
“While sparklers are legal in Minnesota, they make up over 30% of firework injuries,” Otis said. “Sparklers burn at 1,200 degrees. To put it in context, glass begins to melt at 900 degrees. While we understand that fireworks are neat to look at, we cannot say it enough that fireworks are also dangerous.”
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To participate in the Chalk It Up campaign, take a picture of your chalk art and submit it to the Duluth Fire Department's Facebook page or email info@duluthmn.gov by noon July 5. Winners will be announced at noon on the fire department's Facebook page July 6. Prizes include a summer prize pack, a drive-by from the fire department and more.
