K-9 units will be sniffing for fireworks at ferry terminals

Ferry travelers looking to bring fireworks across the water should be ready for an inspection.

Authorities will be using K-9 units to check for legal and illegal fireworks in vehicles.

“The dogs are smelling for explosives, and as you know the thing that makes fireworks go boom is black powder or some type of explosive, so when they’re going up and down the lanes checking the cars, they’re looking for the explosive order,” says Washington State Trooper Craig Johnson.

If the dogs do detect an explosive, troopers will inspect the products you are carrying.

“If they are legal fireworks, there’s no issue. Those are things that people can possess,” says Johnson. “If they are illegal fireworks, they will be confiscated.”

Johnson says if you are carrying legal fireworks, like sparklers or ground spinners, store them where they’re easily accessible for troopers to examine.