Independence Day comes with food, fun and danger lurking around every corner.

Apex Fire Chief Mark Haraway said the three biggest safety concerns on July 4 related to the use of fireworks, swimming and cooking up tasty food on the grill.

"The biggest thing is fireworks. There are going to be seven permitted firework shows across Wake County. We encourage people that if they want to see fireworks to got o one of those shows where there will be licensed operators doing commercial grade fireworks. If you do your own firework shows, remember the code for consumer fireworks is that they can emit sparks and sound but they can't leave the ground," Haraway said.

Haraway encourages parents with small children to be aware of where they are at all times when swimming in a pool or lake. If they don't know how to swim, he said be sure they wear a lifejacket even when swimming in shallow water.

If you are cooking out for the holiday, Haraway said do not leave your grill unattended. More importantly, do not let pets or children play by the fire or grill.

If you would like to learn more about what's happening in the triangle this July 4th click on

http://www.nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/news.apx.-content-articles-NCN-2008-06-25-0008.html

Related Links

1. NBC 17's July 4th Link