Fireworks and water don’t mix

Many Iowans will take to the water this 4th of July weekend, and the Iowa Department of Natural resources is prepared for them. Boats, booze and fireworks — three things state officials will be keeping a close eye on this Fourth of July. Rod Slings of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says it’s going to be a busy holiday for the DNR.One thing officials watch out for every Fourth of July is the use of fireworks on boats. Slings says punishment is likely for those who choose to play with fireworks while on the water. He says officers can seize the fireworks and issue a citation. Slings says from a safety standpoint, fireworks could cause serious injuries boat operators may not even consider. He says boats operate on gas and that leaves the potential for a fire.Another thing Slings says the DNR will watch carefully is drunken boating.Slings says there are not rising numbers in arrests of drunken boaters in Iowa, but officers have been trained under the new law to know what to do if an arrest needs to be made.