Police efforts to prevent and monitor the use of firecrackers and fireworks are peaking during Holy Week, according to Police Bomb Disposal Officer Paris Kyriakou, who stated to CNA that whether factory-made or homemade, all firecrackers are “extremely dangerous” and that the “risk of serious injury is very high.”
According to Mr Kyriakou, the police launched their anti-firecracker campaign two months ago, which is now reaching its peak.
As he explained, the campaign included appearances in the media, posts on social media, and dozens of talks given by the department in schools (primary, secondary, high schools and technical colleges), “with the sole aim of keeping young people away from this dangerous and explosive habit.”
He added that the police force has intensified patrols in high-risk open spaces such as parks, churches and schools, “and wherever there is information that young people are gathering and using these dangerous items,” as well as at the Republic’s legal entry points—through which firecrackers, as he said, are brought in “disguised”—and at illegal entry points, such as the buffer zone.
He went on to say that, to date, 11 individuals, all adults, have been charged and taken to court for the illegal use of firecrackers.
“As you can understand, this week there will be an even greater intensification of patrols outside churches, culminating on the evening of the Good Friday procession and the Resurrection celebration. Most churches across the country—both urban and rural—will be under police supervision,” he said.
Mr Kyriakou stressed that the most important point the public needs to know is that firecrackers fall into two categories: homemade and factory-made, with both being “extremely dangerous.”
“All firecrackers are banned in the Republic of Cyprus. Their importation, transport, use, and even storage are prohibited,” he said.
Therefore, he added, “when explosive materials are stored, regulations are not followed, resulting in changes that are not visible. The person attempting to light a firecracker, thinking there is time to ignite the fuse, throw the firecracker away, and move to safety, finds that in practice this time is non-existent.”
“The result is immediate and violent explosion in the hands, near the body and the eyes, leading to serious injuries such as burns, amputations, and even death,” he emphasised.
He also noted that homemade firecrackers are particularly dangerous, with the risk beginning from the moment the idea of making one is conceived—through the selection and mixing of materials, placing them in a container, sealing it, and igniting it.
“There are so many unpredictable factors involved that the chances of serious injury are very high,” he concluded.
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Source: CNA
