Fireworks Safety 2023 Trident Restoration
July 4th is here, and as you celebrate the birth of America with family and friends, Trident Restoration wants to remind you that there are several things to be mindful of regarding firework safety. Practicing correct firework safety is crucial if you are planning on lighting off your own fireworks this Fourth of July. If you want to have a safe yet eventful holiday, please follow these guidelines provided by the National Safety Council and the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
1. The first, and most important thing you want to do is use legal fireworks
2. Do not allow young children to handle fireworks
3. If an older child is using or handling fireworks, please make sure they are supervised by an adult
4. Never attempt to use fireworks while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
5. Wear protective eyewear if using fireworks or if you are standing nearby someone who is using them
6. Never light fireworks indoors
7. Keep lit fireworks away from people, houses, and flammable materials
8. Keep lit fireworks on the ground and out of your hand
9. Never aim or throw lit fireworks at people
10. Only light one firework at a time and maintain a safe distance after it is lit
11. Keep fireworks out of containers when lighting them
12. If the firework is malfunctioned and does not light when lit, do not attempt to relight it, or handle it
13. After use, soak fireworks in water for some time before discarding
14. To avoid a fire, keep a bucket nearby filled with water so you can fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off immediately or correctly. A garden hose will also work if you don’t have a bucket.
15. Never place any part of your body over a firework while lighting it
16. Lastly, never use illegal fireworks. A fraction of all emergency room visits during this holiday is from homemade fireworks unprofessionally made from explosives.
Information on Sparklers
Sparklers may be one of the most common forms of “fireworks” on July 4th, but please consider the following when celebrating with sparklers:
1. They burn at about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to burn some metals
2. If dropped, they can quickly ignite clothing or can cause serious burns if dropped on self
Statistic: According to the National Fire Protection Association, 25% of emergency room visits around the July 4th holiday are caused by sparklers. 50% of those visits were for children under the age of 5 years old.
The main takeaway; leave fireworks to the professionals. Even though they are legal, there are so many safety concerns correlated with firework use. See the list below for actual statistics regarding firework use and the injuries they cause every year:
- Firecrackers are responsible for 1300 injuries every year
- Sparklers are responsible for 600 injuries every year
- 73% of firework-related injuries occurred in the weeks leading up to July 4th and continue through a couple of weeks following the holiday
- 10,200 people were treated in emergency rooms for firework-related injuries
- In 2021, there were 9 deaths in the United States associated with fireworks. Six of them were due to misuse, one was from a launch malfunction, and two were from unknown causes
- In 2021, adults aged 20-24 had the highest rate of emergency-treated firework-related injuries
- The body parts that are mostly affected by firework-related injuries are the hands, fingers, head, face, and ears.
No matter how you plan to celebrate tonight and tomorrow for July 4th, remember these tips on firework safety. Share this information with your friends and family so that everyone can enjoy fireworks safely. It is possible to practice safety with fireworks but keep in mind that the safest way to view fireworks is when they are being professionally shown.
