DART to the Rehoboth Beach Fireworks on Sunday, July 1

DART First State will be providing bus service to the Rehoboth Beach Independence Day Fireworks display on Sunday, July 1. Celebrate Independence Day with a spectacular firework display beginning at approximately at 9:15 PM.  Visitors can take the Beach Bus 201 Red Line to the fireworks from either the Rehoboth or Lewes Park & Ride lots, which are open all day. Riders will be dropped off at the Henlopen Hotel located on Surfside Place. We encourage individuals to purchase a Daily Pass on the bus.  The fireworks are launched from the beach south of Rehoboth Avenue; depending on the weather the fireworks may be launched any time after 8 PM.

The Rehoboth Park & Ride is located on Shuttle Road, just off of DE Route 1, north of Rehoboth Avenue. The parking rate is $10 per day and up to 4 occupants of the vehicle receive a free daily pass valid for the Fireworks and all Beach Bus routes. The Lewes Park & Ride is located near Five Points, south of DE Route 9. The parking is free, and the cost to ride the bus is $2 per trip or $4.20 for a Daily Pass.  Visitors can also take any of the Beach Bus routes to either Park & Ride lot to connect with the fireworks buses.

DART to the fireworks and everywhere this summer with the Beach Bus!

The Delaware Transit Corporation, a subsidiary of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), operates DART First State.  Real-Time Transit Information is now available on the free DelDOT App (iOS and Android), as well as DART’s Trip Planner on DartFirstState.com.  For more information, please call 1-800-652-DART.


Ensure Your Pets are Safe During Fourth of July Festivities

Dog looks frightened by fireworksDOVER – The Fourth of July holiday may be a time for food, fun and fireworks for Delawareans, but what’s fun for humans can be dangerous for pets. The Division of Public Health Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) advises pet owners to be aware that fireworks cause many pets to run away, and that holiday foods and heat can be harmful to our four-legged family members.

The loud boom of fireworks can spook pets and cause them to run away. Additionally, parties present many opportunities for cats and dogs to be let in and out of houses or yards by guests. The following tips from the American Veterinary Medical Association can help keep pets are safe from harm during Independence Day celebrations.

  • If your pet is sensitive to noises like fireworks or thunder, consult your veterinarian for recommendations on how to ease anxiety caused by fireworks and loud parties. Anxiety medications and treats, “thunder” shirts and behavioral training are all tools to help keep pets calm.
  • Leave pets at home if attending gatherings elsewhere. In addition to fireworks, strange places and crowds can spook an animal and cause them to flee.
  • Utilize a crate or escape-proof area of the home during parties and fireworks.
  • Those who expect guests during the holiday, or any celebration, should inform their company to be mindful of pets when entering or exiting a home or yard to avoid accidental escapes. Place signs on doors and gates that alert guests to be vigilant about pets.
  • Tell guests to refrain from sharing food meant for people as these can upset your pets’ stomach, or worse. After any in-home celebrations, check yards for food scraps and fireworks debris that animals may ingest.
  • Make sure sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, charcoal and skewers are out of reach from your pets.
  • Stay vigilant about times when pets are outdoors. Pets are safest inside on hot and humid days. If they must be outside, ensure they have access to fresh water and secondary shade apart from dog and cat enclosures, which can become dangerously hot inside.

There are preventive steps owners can take to increase the chance of reunification with a pet that has run away. Make sure your pets have identification tags with current owner contact information. Have your pet microchipped, if they aren’t already. A microchip is an affordable device with owner information to ensure pets can return home if they get out and are found by someone else. Make sure the microchip is registered with up-to-date owner contact information. License your pet. It is the law in Delaware, and if your pet is picked up by animal welfare officers, it is your pet’s free ticket home. License information can be found at petdata/delaware.com.

Owners should have a clear, recent, picture of your pet(s) on hand in case the animal(s) run away. Post a picture, brief description and contact information on social media and make privacy settings accessible to the public so it can be shared and viewed by a larger audience than your contacts. Post bright flyers in your area.

If a pet does escape, post its photo and identifying information on the Office of Animal Welfare’s statewide Lost & Found Pet Registry, at animalservices.delaware.gov. Your pet may have been found by a neighbor or taken to a local animal shelter.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.


Fireworks Illegal in Delaware

The Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal reminds all citizens and visitors of Delaware that fireworks are illegal to possess, use, or sell in the State of Delaware. This includes sparklers and sky lanterns.

Fireworks can cause serious injuries or death. Temperatures for a burning sparkler can exceed 1200 degrees Fahrenheit Projectiles from exploded fireworks can cause eye injuries, burns, and amputations of fingers. An estimated 11,900 people were treated in the nation’s hospitals in 2015 for injuries related to the use of fireworks. The highest number of injuries (8,000) occurred around the July Fourth holiday.

Fires can be started easily by exploding fireworks causing property damage especially in the dry summer months. During the evening hours it is very difficult to spot a fire starting during the fire’s incipient (early) stage. Fires may erupt from discharged fireworks well after the initial explosion. Burning fireworks can land in dry grass or on the roof of house without any one detecting the danger. Fires on a roof may smolder for an extended time before breaking out in flames visible from the ground.

Please leave fireworks in the hands of professionals by attending a professional fireworks show in lieu of creating your own show. The public displays are conducted by licensed professionals and the firework sites are inspected and receive approval prior to the events.

Penalties for the use of fireworks or possession of fireworks are misdemeanors subject to a fine. Damage or injuries caused by the use of fireworks can result in felony charges.

For additional information please contact your local fire company or fire marshal’s office.


Enjoy a Healthy and Safe Independence Day

ENJOY A HEALTHY AND SAFE INDEPENDENCE DAY

DOVER – As American flags fly in preparation of the Fourth of July holiday, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) reminds Delawareans to celebrate healthily, without injuries or foodborne illness.

Serve healthy foods and beverages. Include more fruits and vegetables and fewer sugary beverages on the buffet table. With Delaware’s obesity rate doubling in the past 20 years, it is important to serve meals that are low in empty calories and heart healthy. The DE HEAL website, at www.deheal.org, features a section about sugary beverages. Or browse recipes on the American Heart Association’s website, http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyCooking/Simple-Cooking-with-Heart-Home-Page_UCM_430043_SubHomePage.jsp.

Use sunscreen. To protect skin from sunburn now and skin cancer later, wear SPF 15 or higher sunscreen that contains both UVA and UVB protection. Visit ProtectYourSkinDE.com, a DPH website filled with colorful, informative posts. The site includes a directory of dermatologists in Delaware. Follow these additional skin cancer prevention tips:
• Stay in the shade, especially during mid-day hours.
• Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
• Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays.
• Avoid indoor tanning.
• Wear lip balm and makeup products that have an SPF of 15 or higher.

Avoid injuries. Leave fireworks displays to the experts. In Delaware, it is illegal to possess or discharge fireworks, and only permitted companies can hold fireworks displays.

Protect pets. It is best to leave pets at home, where they are safe and sound, instead of including them in Fourth of July celebrations. Loud fireworks displays can terrify pets, causing them to run, putting them at risk of being hit by a car or becoming lost. Exposure to lit fireworks and firework fumes can also be hazardous to man’s best friend.

Use common sense when grilling. Only use gas or charcoal grills outdoors, never in a garage, or on a porch or balcony. Charcoal and gas grills produce carbon monoxide, a fatal odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas. When using charcoal grills, only use a small amount of charcoal starter fuel, never add fuel once the fire starts, and wet ashes with water before emptying the grill. For gas grills, cylinders should be stored outside in a shaded, cool area out of direct sunlight and transported on the floor of vehicles ─ not the trunk ─ in an upright position with all windows open. Check connections with soapy water and tighten leaking connections if bubbles form.

Prevent foodborne illness. No one likes to get sick at a cook-out! Before preparing the meal, wash hands with soap and warm water. Thoroughly clean sinks, cutting boards, and utensils, and then sanitize them with a mixture of one teaspoon bleach to one gallon of water. Follow these additional food safety tips:
• Defrost and marinate meat and poultry in the refrigerator.
• If marinade is to be used on cooked food, reserve some marinade before putting raw foods in it.
• When transporting food, use an insulated cooler with ice or ice packs to keep food at 40F or below.
• Refrigerate food and poultry until use.
• Use separate platters for meat and poultry, and use different platters and utensils for raw and cooked items.
• Keep track of how long foods have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything two hours or older.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.
• When cooking, have beef and poultry reach these safe minimum internal temperatures:
o Whole poultry, poultry breasts, and ground poultry – 165F.
o Hamburgers, beef, and all cuts of pork – 160F.
o Beef, veal, lamb (roasts, steaks, and chops) – 145F, medium rare.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

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Rita Landgraf, Secretary
Jill Fredel, Director of Communications
302-255-9047, Cell 302-357-7498
Email: jill.fredel@delaware.gov

Delaware Health and Social ServicesDivision of Public Health