Fireworks are both dazzling and dangerous. The folks over at Parkland Health and Hospital System’s Regional Burn Center report that “on average, 230 people go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4th holiday, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In 2014, nine people died due to eight fireworks-related incidents, and in at least two of those cases, the victims were not the users.”
Parkland itself has had 10 patients requiring hospitalization in its Burn Center due to fireworks in the past couple of years. Needless to say, they’d like to have no one needing the Center this 4th of July. To achieve this zero-patient goal, they’ve provided the following safety tips regarding 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
Interesting fact: According to Parkland Burn Program Manager Stephanie Campbell, “If you, a family member or friend are injured, call 911 immediately,” Campbell said. “Don’t use ice to cool fireworks burns or place them in a tub or pool of cold water. Immersing the whole body causes core body temperatures to drop dangerously.”
And the old adage of applying ointments, butter or steroidal salves to burns ain’t such a great idea “because they seal in the heat.”