New Year’s Safety Reminders

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview is urging residents to be safe during the upcoming New Year’s Holiday. The Longview Fire and Police Departments want to remind citizens it is against City ordinance to use or have fireworks, including firecrackers, bottle rockets, skyrockets or sparklers. Anyone caught with fireworks inside the City limits will be issued a citation with fines over $300 Anyone using fireworks that result in a fire will be subject to criminal charges as well.

Emergency dispatchers receive numerous phone calls on New Year’s because of people discharging firearms in the air. Discharging a firearm within the City limits is against the law, and if caught, the person will be arrested. It can be a deadly practice too. Each year people are injured or die, and property is damaged, from being hit by stray bullets.

Citizens also need to use extra caution and allow extra travel time when hitting the roads as many celebrate the holiday. Police say motorists should always wear seatbelts. And if you are planning to drink, you’re asked to have a designated driver. Longview Officers will be out in force over the holiday looking for people who are driving and driving.