Fireworks safety is important for both children and parents. According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, each year, U.S. emergency rooms handle more than 10,000 fireworks injuries ranging from simple burns to lost fingers or lost hands. 42% of those injuries involve the hand, arm, or fingers.
The importance of firework safety includes avoiding serious injuries and lasting consequences such as eye trauma and burns, knowing local regulations, keeping children away from fireworks, avoiding mixing alcohol consumption with fireworks, thinking carefully about your fireworks purchases, using proper safety gear, properly disposing of fireworks, always being responsible while handling fireworks, always reading and following warning and instruction labels, always wearing protective eyewear when lighting fireworks, always lighting one firework at a time to ensure safe walking distances can be made, never allowing children to handle or use fireworks and never lighting or using fireworks near other people or near your home.
Fireworks safety tips
- Remember: Safety first!
- Never attempt to re-light a firework.
- Never hold a lit firework in your hand, or light a firework while holding it.
- Designate an adult to light fireworks.
- Minimize alcohol and drugs around fireworks.
- Always supervise children around fireworks.
- Light one firework at a time and keep it at a safe distance.
- Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby in case of a fire or malfunction.
- Do not point or throw fireworks at anyone.
- Make sure fireworks are directed away from homes and anything potentially flammable, like piles of leaves or brush.
- Fireworks should only be handled by adults.
- Sparklers can exceed temperatures up to 1,200⁰ – hot enough to melt gold – so never leave kids alone with them.
- Never let children pick up pieces of fireworks after a show as some may still be active.
- Parents should keep a careful watch on their children using fireworks.
In Case of an Accident
- Call 9-1-1 and run cool water over burns
- In case of an eye injury, do not rub, touch, or rinse the eye as this can cause more damage to the injury.
Final thoughts
Practicing fireworks safety is key to a safe and enjoyable Independence Day. Begin to teach the children in your life about being safe with fireworks early in their lives, they will learn good, safe habits. Please be safe out there!
We wish all of you a wonderful and safe 4th of July.
Happy Independence Day from the family at A.R.M.!
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