Happy Independence Day everyone. As has turned into a tradition for me, I’m camping out at a National Park for the day. I’ll return to Bayside on the morning of the 5th.

As a veteran, I want to remind you to reach out to your veteran friends, and see how they’d like to spend the 4th of July – if they’d like the grilling without the fireworks, maybe consider doing them a solid and joining them for that.

As a former Park Ranger, I want to remind you to be careful of causing fires, and other wildlife disturbances, during your celebrations. Have fun, but do so safely, responsibly, and with consideration for the environment you’re in.

As a former firefighter, I want to point out that unattended grills are supremely dangerous – make sure all fires are fully extinguished before leaving.

As a former paramedic, please be careful with fireworks. They burn at incredibly high temperatures that can cause massive amounts of damage to you in a very short amount of time. Do not approach dud fireworks, they may be a slow burner, and it is catastrophic when fireworks hit you in the face. Never point fireworks at living beings – fireworks are potentially lethal weapons, and need to be respected as such.