The 4th of July is synonymous with fireworks. Whether you are the kind of person who is packing up the family for a late night display of pyrotechnics and pretty colors or the person who would rather hunker down in your home and hope that your neighbor hasn’t bought out the nearest seasonal pop-up tent, there is no question that this part of the holiday celebration isn’t going away anytime soon. Unfortunately, neither are the injuries caused by them.
Since 2008, the number of emergency room visits due to firework related injuries has increased every year. Between 2023 and 2024 alone there was a 52% increase in injuries. This isn’t surprising considering how much the laws have changed, making it legal to use and sell fireworks in more places and giving access to more consumers. While most of the severe injuries are caused by the larger airborne options, do not underestimate the risks posed even by the seemingly innocent classics. Sparkler injuries account for nearly 15% of firework related trips to the emergency room. Of that number, nearly all of those patients were under the age of 6. Burning at 2,000 degrees, sparklers can cause severe burns, chemical burns and hot foreign objects to the eye.
If you would rather enjoy the holiday festivities instead of spending the evening in the emergency room, here are some ideas to help keep you at the BBQ:
- Do not let young children handle fireworks
- Youth should be closely supervised when using fireworks: What young boy isn’t itching to get his hands on a bottle rocket? When allowing kids to use fireworks keep eyes on them at all times to ensure they are following the directions and being safe. Even the most responsible kids make mistakes or get caught up in the moment.
- Never re-light a dud: Just because it doesn’t do what it was supposed to doesn’t make it harmless, in fact quite the opposite, it makes it unpredictable.
- Keep a supply of water close to the fireworks: Especially with the kids of fireworks that move erratically, you never know what it could catch on fire. We also use a bucket of water to cool our used sparklers.
- Follow the instructions on the packaging: If it tells you place it on the ground, believe that that’s the safest place for it! If they tell you to stay back a certain distance, it’s because they know what it can do!
- Do not hold lit fireworks in your hand: Respect the fact that these are explosives. Many of the injuries are not only burns, but missing fingers.
- Keep pets indoors: Fireworks and pets can both be unpredictable at times, it’s best not to mix the two.
- Drink responsibly if using fireworks: Some things make great combinations, ketchup and hotdogs, chips and dip, sun and fun; excessive alcohol and pyrotechnics is not one of them.
- Never point or throw a firework towards people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable materials: Most of the injuries seen in the emergency room happen to bystanders. It’s so important to ensure the area around where the fireworks are lit is clear.
We want to wish you all a very happy, fun-filled, and safe 4th of July holiday from all of us that the Safe Communities Coalition!
