According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), over 7,000 people reported injuries from fireworks in 2008. Considering that’s almost twice the size of my whole town, that seems like a pretty impressive number to me. Of those 7,000, 7 died.
The CPSC emphasizes that these are not the big, professionally done blow-outs that mark Independence Day, New Year, and other big holidays and special occasions. Those are done by…well, professionals, who pretty much know what they’re doing.
No, those injuries are being caused by the amateurs, the ones lighting off explosives on their back patio and putting sparklers out with their fingertips. however, even if so many of those injuries are caused by carelessness, they still hurt. So, the CPSC has come up with some guidelines to help you–and your kids, especially–have a safe and fun Indepenence Day.
- Check to see if fireworks are even legal in your area. They never were where I grew up, but where I live now, they are. It took me about five years to figure that out, though.
- Children must always be supervised when fireworks are involved! And never let children light the fuses of fireworks themselves. Those things move fast!
- Read the directions and follow all the warnings! Believe it or not, you can do this wrong.
- Be sure other people are out of range before you light one. That’s fire coming out of that tube.
- Light your fireworks on a smooth, flat surface, away from overhands, dry leaves and flammable materials. It doesn’t seem like people should have to be told this, but at least 7,000 of them do.
- If a firework fizzles or duds, don’t try to relight it. It might blow up in your face.
- Keep a bucket of water close by in case something catches on fire or someone gets burned. It will also help you make sure your site is secured before you go in.
- Be aware that sparklers can catch clothes on fire! They seem harmless, but they must be watched carefully!
Keep these safety tips, use some common sense, and make this a holiday to remember for the right reasons.
