Here we are… it is July 1st. One month of summer is behind us. Two more glorious months of sunshine, travel, adventures, and NO SCHOOL ahead.
Summer is a time to get outside, create new routines, and participate in healthy activities. It is also a time when many of us travel, picnic, hang out with friends, and for some of us (especially those in the USA) play with fireworks and sparklers! I have written a six-part summer health and safety series. This series started nearly 8 weeks ago when I shared my summer plans and how we will move our bodies this summer. I’ve also written about water safety, sun safety, food safety, and how to prevent tickborne diseases.
Today, to wrap up this series on having a safe & healthy summer, we need to talk about fireworks safety.
I love fireworks.
And when I was in high school I had the opportunity to give tours of a local fireworks launching site each 4th of July (this got me out of life guarding a holiday free swim at the pool where I worked — awesome). The most important thing I learned while touring people around the space where a fireworks show is being set up is —
Safety first, first.
Fireworks are awesome. But fireworks shows should be left to the professionals. Each year approximately 11,500 people are treated in the ER for fireworks-related injuries (think: burns as well as blown off fingers).
If you decide to put on your own fireworks display or (even) allow your kids to play with sparklers, here is a list of how to do so as safely as possible…
First, never allow kids to play with fireworks or sparklers without supervision. Talk with them about the risks of fireworks/fire and make sure they know the rules listed below.
When setting off fireworks or playing with sparklers, be sure to have water nearby. I recommend having a hose on hand, but a bucket of water will do.
Never pick up a or try to relight a firework that did not ignite.
Do not point sparklers or fireworks at yourself of others.
Soak used fireworks and sparklers in water before putting them in the trash.
And please know… fireworks and alcohol are a bad combination.
And with regard to sparklers — the burn VERY hot. Like 1000*F (yes, that is 3 x zeros!). Be sure kids are keeping their sparklers away from others and at arm’s length from their own face Make sure hair is pulled back and no one is wearing loose clothing and playing with a lit sparkler.
When the sparklers is done sparking, put used sparklers in a bucket of water (hot tip pointed down into the water).
Hope you all have a wonderful, full-filled, safe, and healthy 4th of July weekend.
And one final note — to avoid issues with law enforcement this weekend, double check if it is legal to set off fireworks or use sparklers in your neighborhood. And check to be sure that there are not warnings related to dry weather and wildfires. You do not want to be the person responsible for setting a big fire this holiday weekend.
Thanks for the reminder about fireworks, including sparklers. Hand and eye injuries are commonly associated with fireworks.