Safety Tips for 4th of July Firework Fun Without the ER

Independence Day is a national celebration of freedom, fireworks, family, and friends. It’s also one of the most dangerous days of the year. It’s no surprise that fireworks are the biggest reason for the spike in injuries.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), fireworks were involved in an estimated 10,200 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments last year. An estimated 38 percent of the emergency department-treated injuries were burns, which were the most common injury seen to hands and fingers. Cuts and bruises, accounting for 30 percent of the emergency department-treated injuries, were the most common injury to the head, face, and ears.

How can you and your family stay safe this holiday?

• Start off by teaching children at an early age that fireworks are explosive devices, not toys.
• Explain the danger of explosives and teach children to tell an adult if they find fireworks. Be sure they understand it is too risky to pick up fireworks and bring them to an adult.
• Do not give a child a sparkler to hold. Sparklers are designed to burn hot and can reach temperatures as high as 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Sparklers stay hot long after burning out. Purchase glow-in-the-dark wands and non-explosive noisemakers as a substitute for sparklers or firecrackers.
  For more tips for keeping yourself and your family safe this 4th of July, click here.