MIAMI -- Miami police reminded the public Friday not to fire guns as they celebrate the Fourth of July.

Community leaders and police gathered in Miami to stress the point, as they have done many times before in the hope of preventing injuries or even deaths.

Police said stray bullets fall at 300 feet per second, or more than 100 mph.

"If we catch you with a gun, we're going to arrest you. If you're possessing that gun legally but you're shooting it in the air, you're violating the law. You're not allowed to discharge a weapon in the city," said Miami Police Chief John Timoney.

"I hope that we continue to educate the community, that people will come to understand the severity of their actions, the gravity of their actions, a senseless act that's being done, how they can easily kill somebody," said Maj. Garry Jeannitos of the Miami-Dade Police Department. "It's like taking a gun, closing your eyes, aiming and shooting somebody, and you're going to kill somebody."

Anyone caught firing a weapon, even if they own it legally, could face a minimum of one year in prison.

Follow Rules For Fireworks

The spark of a firework on the Fourth of July is no match for the sizzle in the economy.

"The economy right now is pretty tough," said Elvis Dipre, who runs a fireworks stand. He said only half of the usual vendors set up shop this year.

Rules, however, are still rules. The Miami Dade Fire Department will spend July 3 and 4 combing through fireworks tents and stands to make sure any business generated by the holiday is legit.

"We go out to all the structure tents and make sure all the fireworks are on this approved list," said Inspector Eric Gutierrez.

Gutierrez feels safety should always be a priority even when money is tight.

"I think last year there were 10,000 firework-related injuries throughout the state," Gutierrez said.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Always light fireworks on the ground and away from the grass.

Have a bucket of water nearby, and dump used fireworks inside the bucket.

Light one firework at a time.

In Miami-Dade County, no one is allowed to buy or sell anything that shoots into the air.

"A lot of people want to see the boom and the, 'Ahh.' If you want to see those shows, go somewhere where someone who's trained in that profession goes out and gives the public their show," said Gutierrez.

Fireworks stand owner Elvis Dipre said he's happy to follow the rules and he hopes it's enough to light up his cash register.

"Actually, we've been getting a lot of people," he said. "Saturday, hopefully we'll get more."