JACKSON, Miss.- It’s almost July 4th and what better way to celebrate the freedom of your country than some spectacular fireworks, but did you know 240 people on average go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4th holiday? According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks can be extremely dangerous. You could easily get burned, injure your eye or land yourself in the hospital if you aren’t careful.
“When I was in the seventh grade my buddy and I were playing with fireworks and he threw a black cat strand at my feet. The firework popped up into my ear and blew out my eardrum. I had a huge hole in my eardrum and had to get surgery to fix it.” Christian Waldo said, “It was extremely painful and anyone playing with fireworks should read the instructions first and never throw them at anyone.”
Some tips you should always follow when using fireworks:
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don’t realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
Have a fun and safe Independence Day!
