According to the National Safety Council, the safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a professional display rather than setting them off at home. There is an exceptional fireworks display in Eagle Lake on July 3 and in Columbus on July 4.
If fireworks are legal in your town, remember to maintain a large safety perimeter and have a bucket of water or a hose nearby. Fireworks start more than 31,000 fires each year.
While handling and lighting the fireworks, designate a sober shooter. Never use or light fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Never hold devices. Light fireworks while they are firmly placed on the ground and never hold them in your hand or carry them in your pocket. On average, 230 people visit the emergency room every day with fireworks- related injuries in the weeks around July 4, according to Handcare. Most of these injuries are to the hands and fingers and can also cause serious injuries to your eyes.
Eye and ear protection should be worn. Wear protective safety glasses when lighting fireworks or standing near fireworks when you are 25 feet or closer.
Light one item at a time. It may seem awesome to have a barrage of fireworks going off at one time but it can be extremely dangerous. Use a long match and back off to a safe distance as soon as the fuse it lit.
Secure aerial devices so they cannot fall over and accidentally fire into the crowd. Tube-type devices such as bottle rockets should not be handheld.
Sparklers are taken for granted. Many parents let their children run around the yard with lite sparklers, waving them about and playing with others. Sparklers burn at extreme heat. Temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit burn bright and is also hot enough to melt metal and cause severe injuries. More than 1,200 children a year are injured by small firecrackers and sparklers. Never allow young children to play with or light sparklers. Swap them out for glow sticks, colored streamers or silly string.
When disposing of used fireworks or duds, soak them in a bucket of water for at least 20 minutes. A dud can still explode, so wait for 15 to 20 minutes before attempting to move or soak it. Never dispose of the fireworks indoors.
It may all be fun and games to us, but we should think about pets. Animals ears are sensitive and can be frightened or stressed by all the July 4th celebrations. Keep pets indoors during the fireworks so they won’t run loose or get injured.
What should you do if an injury happens? According to health safety advocates, if an eye injury happens, don’t let your child touch or rub it, don’t flush it with water and do not put ointment on it. Cut the bottom out of a paper cup, place it over the injured eye and get medical help right away.
If someone is burned from fireworks, soak the burned area in cool water as soon as possible. Remove the clothing from the burned area, unless it is firmly stuck to the skin. Lightly apply gauze bandages or a clean, soft cloth on the burn and get medical help right away.
Statistics by CPSC.gov estimates 14,700 people were injured by fireworks last year. Fireworks burns account for 37% of all emergency room visits. Hands and fingers see 36% injuries, and the head, face and ears account for 22%. Eye injuries make up about 14%. Males are the most affected with up to 73% being victims of fireworks injuries. Sixty five percent of victims treated for fireworks are bystanders.
This year, take your family to a professional fireworks display.
Make it a safe and fun 250th anniversary this Fourth of July.
