The Fourth of July is nearly here! This holiday is a great time to celebrate with friends and family, and for many, those celebrations include fireworks – whether going to a professional show or shooting them off at home.
While the Fourth of July can be a time of fun festivities, fireworks especially can be extremely dangerous. In 2023, 9,700 people in American ended up in the emergency room due to fireworks injuries, and eight people died as a result of their injuries.
There are steps you can take to make sure your celebrations are kept as safe as possible. In this blog, we’ll walk you through what precautions need to happen to keep your people and property protected during this holiday.
Firework Safety
Fireworks are by far the biggest safety threat on the Fourth of July. Even if fireworks are legal in your state, that does not mean they are safe. Accidents can always happen.
The safest way to enjoy fireworks on July 4th is to go to a professional show, often put on by a local fire department, and make sure you view the fireworks from at least 500 feet away. Not only will this keep you safe – but this distance also often provides the best view of the show.
If you do instead opt to use legal fireworks at home, here are some precautionary measures to take:
- Never allow young children to handle fireworks. Keep them far away from the fireworks, and make sure an adult is ensuring they stay away.
- Never use fireworks while drinking or using drugs.
- Anyone using or handling fireworks should wear protective eyewear.
- Never hold lighted fireworks.
- Never light fireworks indoors.
- Never point fireworks at another person or animal, even when unlit.
- If a firework doesn’t light, never try to relight it.
- Keep water nearby in case a fire does break out, and to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off.
- Once you’re done, soak both used and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before throwing away.
Truly the best course of action is to avoid the risk altogether and let the professionals handle the show. You can also find more tips on fireworks safety – and statistics about the risk.
Sparkler Safety
For many families, sparklers are a familiar part of Fourth of July celebrations. Kids especially often want to use sparklers – but parents may not realize what a risk it is to let them participate in this activity.
Sparklers may seem harmless, but they can heat up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and easily burn the user or a spectator. This is hotter than wood burns, and hotter than the temperature at which glass melts. These are not toys for children.
If you choose to use sparklers, be sure to do the following:
- Only use sparklers outside
- Adults should supervise any children ages 12 and younger while using sparklers
- Never light or hold more than one sparkler at a time
- Always keep sparklers at least an arm’s length away from your body, and stay at least six feet away from others
- Don’t run with or throw sparklers, and don’t hand lit sparklers to someone else
- Avoid loose-fitting clothes and wear closed-toe shoes when using sparklers
- Dispose of any sparklers in a bucket of water after use to ensure they are out and cool the metal or bamboo sticks down
Sparklers can be fun, but you can also explore safer ways to celebrate – especially if young children are involved. Glowsticks are a great alternative that’s much safer, while still lighting up the night in a fun and festive way.
To learn more about sparkler safety, you can visit this page.
The Fourth of July should be a festive time of celebration with family and friends – not a time for a trip to the ER due to fire hazards. Follow these tips to help keep your family safe, or better yet – leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals.
For more fire and life safety tips, visit our other blog posts at CertaSitePro.com
