As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day with a bang, fire officials urge revelers to leave the fireworks to the professionals.

“I don’t think the general public realizes how volatile fireworks can be,” Bowling Green Fire Department spokeswoman Marlee Boenig said. “Even novelties like the poppers and sparklers, something could wrong with those.”

While many people think of sparklers as kid friendly, there really is no such thing as kid-friendly fireworks, she said.

“We spend all of our lives telling children not to play with fire, and then we hand them a stick of fire that can get to 1,000 degrees and tell them to play with it,” Boenig said about sparklers. “They don’t realize how hot those can get.

“Then when you move up to the consumer fireworks that just became legal a few years ago in the state, those are more volatile than even the novelties like the poppers and snakes and things like that,” she said.

Roman candles or bottle rockets that don’t shoot straight up can go sideways and can cause injury to anyone struck by the flaming object. People who are typically injured by fireworks are usually young people.

Boenig recommends that anyone who wants to enjoy fireworks this holiday weekend do so at one of the many professional shows being offered throughout the area.

Professional firework displays are a safer alternative to do-it-yourself shows, she said.

“Things do go wrong even at a professional shows because you are dealing with explosives,” Boenig said. “In my opinion it’s much better to enjoy a professional show because the likelihood of someone getting hurt is much less at a professional show than if a consumer is lighting them off themselves.

“Looking at it from a fire safety standpoint, it’s just more dangerous when you try to do that yourself.”

Anyone who chooses to hold a private celebration needs to make sure they have a water hose ready in case something catches on fire and a bucket of water to dispose of spent fireworks.

“If you are going to choose to shoot them off, make sure you’ve got a water supply,” she said.

It’s also important to remember that fireworks can be extremely scary for pets. Pets should be kept inside when fireworks are in use.

Veterinarians offer a variety of medications that can sooth animals that become frightened by fireworks, said Debbie Witmert, spokeswoman for Greystone Pet Hospital.

Animal advocates also recommend thunder shirts for dogs frightened by the noise of fireworks. Thunder shirts are like a T-shirt for a dog and work similar to swaddling a baby, Witmert said. Pet and farm supply stores sell thunder shirts.

Witmert also recommends taking dogs on long walks to tire them out before fireworks begin outside so that they may sleep through the noise. Pets that have to be left at home alone and that may have to hear nearby fireworks should be left with a television or radio on in a darkened house.

Cats are generally not as bothered by fireworks as dogs, Witmert said. They will usually find a hiding place while the noise is going on and come back out when the noise stops. Like with dogs, vets can also provide prescription medication for frightened cats to help calm them.

— Follow Assistant City Editor Deborah Highland on Twitter @BGDNCrimebeat or visit bgdailynews.com.