The Dubai Police has launched its annual campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of fireworks under the slogan "Remember... Fireworks are more dangerous than you think," for the second consecutive year.

Launched by the Security Awareness Department in the General Department for Community Happiness, in collaboration with the General Department for Organisations Security and Protective Emergency, the campaign aims to educate the community about the dangers of fireworks and the necessity of their use by professionals, especially during various celebrations and special community occasions, to ensure public safety for all participants in these events. Additionally, the campaign emphasizes the importance of not allowing children and individuals to handle fireworks directly due to their danger.

Butti Ahmad bin Darwish Al Falasi, Director of the Security Awareness Department, confirmed that Dubai Police is launching the awareness campaign for the second year to warn about the dangers of using fireworks. The campaign will spread awareness through social media platforms, outdoor advertisements, and direct email messages to reach as many community members as possible.

He explained that the campaign, which will continue until April 23rd, aims to raise awareness about the risks of fireworks and encourages the public to report those who trade, possess, or use fireworks illegally by contacting Dubai Police's call centre at 901. Al Falasi also mentioned that the campaign

Fireworks Dangers

Al Falasi noted the dangers of fireworks, which can cause permanent disabilities, including loss, amputation, and burns of body parts. Scientific studies have shown that fireworks cause injuries in 15% of eye-related cases, 16% in the face and ears, 6% in the chest area, 10% in the forearms, 30% in the hands, and 23% in the legs.

Al Falasi also pointed out that Federal Decree-Law No. 17 of 2019 concerning weapons, ammunition, explosives, military equipment, and hazardous materials defines explosives in its first article as a chemical compound or a mixture of various chemical compounds that react with each other when exposed to suitable conditions, producing pressure, heat, and a specific speed, resulting in an impact or damage to the surrounding area, including fireworks.

Illegal Possession
He confirmed that Article 3 of the Decree states that it is not permitted to acquire, possess, import, export, re-export, transit, ship in stages, trade, manufacture, repair, transport, or dispose of explosives in any form without obtaining a license or permit from the licensing authority or the concerned entity. 

Penalty for Trading

Al Falasi continued, stating that Article 54 of the Decree provides for a penalty of imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine not less than AED 100,000 or one of these two penalties for anyone who, without a license, trades in fireworks, imports, exports, manufactures, or introduces them into and from the country.