Celebrating July 4th Safely – A Closer Look at Fireworks
Our nation’s birthday celebration is a time for summer fun with family. Children play in sprinklers and have watermelon seed spitting contests, families attend parades and sporting events. And to cap it all off, there are fireworks.
The availability of fireworks for personal use varies by region. They may be legal in your area but this does not make them safe, especially for children! If not handled properly, fireworks cause burns and eye injuries, and severe cases can cause loss of a limb, eyesight, or hearing. Severe burns are actually quite common in firework injuries, given the extreme temperatures at which they burn as well as their explosive nature.
Some small fireworks – like bottle rockets, Roman candles, and firecrackers – are targeted towards children. However, children should NOT be playing with fireworks and should be closely supervised when using sparklers. Teenagers are notoriously spontaneous and questionable decision-makers while amongst their friends, and therefore should be closely supervised as well.
If you do choose to use personal fireworks, here are some suggestions to keep you and your children safe:
- Buy only legal fireworks. These will have clear manufacturer’s labels and directions for use
- Store fireworks in a cool, dry place. Do not carry them in your pocket.
- NEVER attempt to make your own fireworks
- Only use fireworks outside and have a water source available.
- NEVER throw or point fireworks at others
- Keep fireworks away from leaves and brushy areas.
- NEVER use fireworks while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Only light one firework at a time.
The best rule of thumb for July 4th?
Leave the fireworks to the experts!
A note about sparklers
Children of all ages love sparklers – they are bright but not loud and can be held by small hands. Children should be very closely supervised when using sparklers, as they can be more dangerous that most people realize. Sparklers burn at very high temperatures – hot enough, in fact, to melt gold! Many children are treated each year in the emergency room due to injuries caused by sparklers. This is particularly true in children under age 5. Burns can be caused by touching the hot part of the sparkler as well as clothing catching on fire. Sparks may fly into eyes and set hair on fire. Be sure to put closed-toe shoes on your child when playing with sparklers – hot sparks can cause burns if they land on little feet.
Care for injuries
If your child is injured by a firework, you should seek help in the emergency room immediately. Burns and eye injuries should be treated right away, as delay of care can cause lasting complications, more significant scarring, and loss of eyesight. Remove burned clothing and do not allow your child to rub or touch an injured eye.
Final thoughts
Please do not misunderstand. I am not trying to ruin your family’s 4th of July celebrations and fun. However, prevention of injury through firework safety is important to ensure the holiday is experienced safely and without an emergency room visit. Use streamers, glow sticks, pinwheels, and confetti poppers to entertain young children. Make fun red-white-and-blue desserts with your older children. And at the end of the day, spread out a blanket together and watch the professional fireworks light up the night sky.
