COLUMBUS, Ohio — Red, White & BOOM! is three days away, and law enforcement agencies are preparing to secure the area, including waterways.
“We have our bomb squad and members of our prevention bureau doing sweeps throughout the whole area,” said Columbus Division of Fire Lt. Nick Davis.
The fire division also has inspectors checking the fireworks display.
“We have special inspectors who inspect all the fireworks to make sure they’re wired properly, so there are no issues with misfires. They’re on standby during the entire event,” Davis said.
The fireworks at BOOM! will be the only legal ones in the city.
“We’ve had some significant fires related to fireworks. The fireworks that go up have to land somewhere, and they’ve landed on people’s roofs, cars, and other property,” said Columbus Fire and Explosives Unit Investigator Gavin Gatley.
It is illegal to buy or sell fireworks in Columbus. Violations can lead to injury and misdemeanor or felony charges.
“If you set fire to a house or a high-rise building, what starts as a misdemeanor could become a felony and result in jail time,” Gatley said.
There will be a large law enforcement presence on Friday. Agencies involved include Columbus Police and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
“We’ll have drones in the air, our bomb team doing sweeps, our dive team, and our STAR team for crowd management,” said FCSO Capt. Anthony Kolesar. “We are following our standard planning for any major event to make sure we’re ready.”
The sheriff’s office also encourages parents to keep a close watch on their children.
“If you’re bringing your child, take a photo of them in their outfit that day. That way, if they get lost, we’ll have a current photo to share with law enforcement officers,” Kolesar said.
A temporary no-fly zone will be in place over the Red, White & BOOM! area. Drones are not permitted.