Firework Safety Tips

Carla Hay-Perdue, DNP, APRN, FNP, ANP-BC, NC-BC

Community Education Coordinator/ Family Nurse Practitioner at Palo Pinto General Hospital

July 1, 2022

July 4th is quickly approaching and firework sales are skyrocketing.  Fireworks are synonymous with American Culture and traditions. 

They do pose significant dangers for the environment and injury.  According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year 10,000 people are injured due to fireworks.  Fifty percent are of children and young adults under 20.  Here are some tips to stay safe during this holiday weekend! 

 

  1. Most wildfires caused by fireworks occur around the July 4th holiday or under extended drought conditions. (That is us!) Exploding fireworks, such as firecrackers, m-70s, bottle rockets and roman candles, cause the most fireworks-cursed wildfires.
  2. Never let young children handle fireworks. Older children should use them only under close adult supervision. Even Sparklers are harmful. A sparkler burns at 2000 degrees! It can ignite clothing and cause severe burns.
  3. Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
  4. Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear.
  5. Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands.
  6. Never light them indoors.
  7. Only use fireworks away from people, houses, and flammable material
  8. Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
  9. Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting.
  10. Never ignite devices in a container.
  11. Do not re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
  12. Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding.
  13. Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire.
  14. Never use illegal fireworks.

Alternatives for fireworks are glow sticks, confetti poppers or colored streamers.

Better yet, get your lawn chair, kickback, and let the experts handle the fireworks show.  The shows planned in Palo Pinto County are:

The Possum Kingdom Hell’s Gate Fireworks Show will be on July 9, 2022. 

The Mineral Wells Fire Works display will be on July 4, 2022 at Ram’s Stadium.

 

National Safety Council. (2022). Retrieved from Fireworks Safety Tips – National Safety Council (nsc.org)