With the Fourth of July approaching, many people use fireworks to celebrate the holiday. Because of this, it is very important that you stay safe when shooting off fireworks, as well as knowing your local laws before purchasing and using fireworks. An estimated 10,000 people visited the emergency room for firework-related injuries in 2019*, and following these safety tips can help lower this number.
Firework Safety Tips:
Leave it to the professionals! The National Safety Council advises everyone to, "enjoy fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals, and not to use any fireworks at home."
If you decide to use fireworks at home, always ensure that an adult is the one using fireworks.
Never let children play or ignite fireworks. Even when children are using sparklers, make sure there is an adult supervising. Many people don’t realize that sparklers burn at around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
When lighting fireworks, make sure that there are no parts of your body over a fireworks device and move away quickly after lighting the fuse.
If a firework isn’t fully ignited, do not try to relight or pick it up.
Finally, always have a bucket of water or garden hose in case of a fire, as well as to douse the device with water before discarding it.
In the case of a firework-related injury, Memorial Hospital Convenient Care is available Sunday-Saturday 8:00am-8:00pm including holidays. and the Emergency Room is open 24/7.
*Source: CPSC.gov https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks