New Year's Eve Safety

SAFETY ON NEW YEAR'S EVE AND TOWN ORDINANCES

New Year's Eve Safety Tips in General

New Year's Eve is about fun and celebration to herald in the New Year. The Fuquay-Varina Police Department would like everyone to enjoy their holiday but also wish to remind the public about safety issues surrounding the New Year's Eve holiday. Before you leave home to celebrate, please remember to:

* Arrange for a designated driver, or another safe form of transportation, before going out. This will help prevent people from drinking and driving and ensure the safety of themselves and others that night.

* Make sure that others within your group are also acting safely. If an individual is intoxicated, stop them from driving or leaving with someone they do not know. Prevent others from making choices that might jeopardize their or anyone else's safety.

* Attend events with a group of friends or family. Avoid leaving events alone.

* Do not display large amounts of cash at an event. Do not go to an ATM at night.

* Attend holiday events that have reputations for safety and have security measures in place.

* Avoid driving between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. If driving cannot be avoided, individuals should make an effort to be defensive drivers due to the number of individuals on the roadway that may be impaired.

* The public is also reminded that discharging fireworks and firearms are a violation of Town Codes. The public is strongly urged not to fire guns into the air, as the bullet will fall to the ground with sufficient velocity to damage property and injure or kill. Fireworks calls for police response also utilize police resources that can be utilized more effectively for addressing life saving and crime prevention matters. Please assist us by not discharging fireworks or firearms on New Year's Eve.

Please review the below Town ordinances regarding discharging firearms and fireworks within the Town limits of Fuquay-Varina:

Sec. 8-7002 Noises Expressly Prohibited

The following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this section, but said enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive, namely: Subsection (17) The firing or discharging of squibs, crackers, gunpowder or other combustible substance in the streets or elsewhere for the purpose of making noise or disturbance except by permit by the Board.

Sec. 8-7008 - Discharging Fireworks, etc.

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or explode any firecracker, cannon cracker, rocket, or other explosive of whatever character upon any of the streets, alleys, sidewalks, or other public places in the Town, except that a law enforcement officer may use his sidearm in the lawful performance of his duty.

Sec. 8-7011 Firearms

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm at any time or place within the Town of Fuquay-Varina corporate limits except when used in defense of person or property or pursuant to lawful directions of law enforcement officers.