Fireworks Safety for Fourth of July
¹ó¾±°ù±ð·É´Ç°ù°ì²õÌý²µ´ÇÌý·É¾±³Ù³óÌýsummer. But if handledÌýimproperly, they canÌýcauseÌýserious damage not only to your body, including your eyes,Ìýbut alsoÌý³Ù´ÇÌý±è°ù´Ç±è±ð°ù³Ù²â.ÌýConsider these facts:Ìý
According to aÌýÌý(USCPSC)ÌýaboutÌý7,300 fireworks-related injuries (73 percent of the total estimated fireworks-related injuries in 2019)ÌýreceivedÌýtreatmentÌýin hospital emergencyÌýrooms fromÌýJune 21, 2019Ìý³Ù´ÇÌýJuly 21, 2019.ÌýChildren younger than 15 years of age accounted for 36 percent of these injuries, whileÌýnearly halfÌýinvolvedÌýindividuals younger than 20 years. The report also found that:Ìý
- ChildrenÌýageÌý4Ìýand youngerÌýhad the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries, while teensÌýagesÌý15 to 19 had the second highest estimated rate.Ìý
- There wereÌýan estimatedÌý900 emergency department-treated injuries associated with sparklers,Ìýwhich burn at about 2,000 degrees,Ìýand 400 with bottle rockets.Ìý
- An estimated 800 emergency department-treated injuriesÌýwereÌýassociated with firecrackers. Of these,ÌýaboutÌý24 percent were associated with small firecrackers, 16 percent with large firecrackers, 3 percent with illegal firecrackers, and the remaining 57 percent were associated with firecrackers of an unspecified size.ÌýÌý
The USCPSC study found thatÌýhands and fingersÌýwereÌýtheÌýbodyÌýparts injuredÌýmost often, followed byÌýlegs;Ìýeyes;Ìýhead, face, and ears;Ìýand arms.ÌýÌýÌý
OfÌýemergency department-treated injuries, 58Ìýpercent were burns, the most common injury ³Ù´ÇÌýhands, fingers, arms, and legs.ÌýÌý
Most people with fireworks-related injuries--someÌý87 percent--were treated at a hospital emergency department and then released.ÌýAboutÌý12 percent of patients were treatedÌýin the emergency roomÌýandÌýeitherÌýadmitted to the hospitalÌýor transferred to another hospital.Ìý
In addition to potentially serious physical injury,Ìý, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and nearly 17,000 other fires.Ìý
The best way to protect yourself, your family,Ìýand those around you is ³Ù´ÇÌýenjoyÌýonlyÌýpublic, professionally run fireworks displays.ÌýIf you choose to use them,Ìýhowever,ÌýthenÌýpleaseÌýfollowÌýtheseÌýsafety tips:ÌýÌýÌý
- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.Ìý
- Don’tÌýmakeÌýyour own fireworks, orÌýbuy any that come in brown paper, which may indicate that they are for professional displays only.Ìý
- Insist onÌýadult supervision for allÌýfireworks activities.ÌýÌý
- Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.Ìý
- Wear protective eyewear.Ìý
- Never light fireworks of any kind indoors orÌýhold lighted fireworks in your hands.Ìý
- Light fireworks one at a time.Ìý
- Don’t position your bodyÌýdirectly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse, and back up to a safe distance immediately after lightingÌýit.Ìý
- Never try to re-light orÌýhandleÌýfireworks that have not ignited fully.Ìý
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person.Ìý
- Always keep a bucket of water or garden hoseÌýnearby.ÌýÌý
- Never carry fireworks inÌýyourÌýpocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.Ìý
- SoakÌýusedÌýand unused fireworks in water for a few hours beforeÌýthrowing them away.Ìý
IfÌýaÌýfireworks injuryÌýoccurs, thenÌýgo to your nearestÌýhospital emergency room.ÌýÌý