This weekend, families will celebrate their independence with food on the grill, time with family and of course, fireworks.

For those who may not want to worry with the responsibility of shooting off their own fireworks, there is a free fireworks show today in McNeill that will begin at 6 p.m. with gospel singing. Fireworks will begin shortly after dark.

However, if you also want to shoot your own fireworks, here are some safety tips.

When using fireworks, be sure to keep a source of water such as hose nearby, along with a bucket of water. The hose will be for any fires that breakout, and the bucket will be for fireworks that don’t light properly. Soak fireworks that don’t light in the water only after ensuring they are not still lit.

Younger children should not be involved in lighting any fireworks, and instead should be kept a safe distance away from where fireworks will be lit.

When lighting fireworks, place them on a stable surface and never light them while holding them in your hand.

Be sure to pick a place that is far from structures, has a clear path to the sky and is away from other flammable objects or containers with flammable substances.

It might be tempting to give younger children sparklers, but the National Safety Council states that the those devices burn much hotter than expected, somewhere in the range of 2000 degrees. That makes sparklers a dangerous item that can light clothing or other items on fire.

It’s also best to let someone who is not partaking in alcohol or other intoxicating substances be the person who lights fireworks.