BROWNSVILLE – A Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office inspector is in the Rio Grande Valley visiting fireworks vendors. State officials said its part of the yearly inspection they must pass in order to stay in business.

The inspector will be visiting stands and firework warehouses throughout the Valley. She’s making sure that they have the proper certifications and that there is no illegal sale of fireworks.

Firework vendors opened their doors for business on Tuesday for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve season.

A manager at Alamo Fireworks said this is the time of year where they make 90 percent of their yearly profit. In order to keep their doors open, they must first pass inspection by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Mr. G’s Fireworks’ co-owner, Ramiro Gonzalez Jr., said the business is tightly regulated. Vendors are only allowed to sell fireworks deemed operable by the public at their store. This means no one needs a special certification to operate the fireworks.

He said unlike in Mexico, consumer fireworks sold in the U.S. are limited in the amount of gunpowder which they can contain.

Gonzalez said it’s a major safety factor, strictly regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The state inspector is also on the lookout for the fireworks crossed over from Mexico. According to a State Fire Marshal’s Office spokesman, products that do not meet standards can be confiscated and the vendor can be cited.

Repeat offenders’ merchandise could be seized by authorities.

State inspectors said they are doing their part to keep the community safe. They are asking the public to do their part.

No one under 16 years of age can legally purchase fireworks at a stand. Parental supervision is required if children will be popping fireworks and mixing fireworks with alcohol is not a good combination.