HERE COMES THE BOOM

We are fast approaching July, and this summer is just cruising on by! We all know that those big booming fireworks can be dangerous if appropriate precautions are not taken, but how dangerous are they really? Well, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports, fireworks accounted for 8 deaths and 13,000 injuries in 2017 alone, with two-thirds of those injuries treated in mid-June to mid July! We’re not only talking about the big fireworks either. Sparklers accounted for 1 of those deaths and 1,200 of those injuries. We also found it alarming that 14% of these injuries were eye injuries. These eye injuries can include burns, corneal abrasions, globe ruptures, and retinal detachments. These serious injuries can often times lead to permanent vision loss as well. So needless to say, firework safety is of the utmost importance and something we all should focus on before we get to celebrate all things ‘Merica on the Fourth of July.

So what should we do to make sure our 4th is a safe one? For starters, you can attend a professional fireworks show rather than trying to create your own at home. Be sure to stay at least 500 feet away from the big show and respect the safety barriers put in place. If you are trying to MacGyver your own spectacular pyrotechnic show, be sure to follow some safety tips:

• Keep fireworks away from children

• No running or playing with fireworks or near fireworks

• Set up the display in an open area and away from homes, grass, trees, and leaves

• Never have any body parts over fireworks when lighting them

• Keep a bucket of water nearby for putting out fireworks or in case of emergency

• If a firework fails to ignite, do not relight it, but put it in the water bucket and move on

• Make sure people are out of the way before lighting each firework

• Never light fireworks in a container

• Keep unused fireworks away from the line of fire

• Do not try to make your own fireworks

• Check storage instructions

• Abide by all local laws for your area

In the case that an eye injury does take place, be sure to seek medical attention immediately! In the meantime, avoid rubbing, rinsing, and applying pressure or ointments. Do not try to remove any objects lodged in the eye, and do not take any blood-thinning pain medications like ibuprofen.

We hope you remember these firework safety tips this year for your celebrations, and we wish you all a happy (and safe!) 4th of July!