Fireworks are wonderfully fun and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. But being unsafe around them rarely ends well. Fireworks can burn at temperatures which reach over 1,000
Fireworks are wonderfully fun and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. But being unsafe around them rarely ends well.
Fireworks can burn at temperatures which reach over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, on average 280 people per day will go to the emergency room with fireworks related injuries in the weeks surrounding the fourth.
The most commonly injured body parts are the hands and fingers, followed by legs, eyes and the head, faces and ears. More than 44 percent of those injuries are burns.
Follow these safety tips when using fireworks:
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Even supervise with sparklers, which are considered babies first firework, as they can burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees which is hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Be sure to get a firework permit before setting any off this year.
The best way to stay safe this year is just to exercise common sense. If you don’t feel safe setting off any fireworks or don’t live somewhere where you safely could, then just go to the Okmulgee Fireworks Show on the 4th of July and enjoy the show.
