Fireworks during the Fourth of July are as American as apple pie, but did you know that more fires are reported on that day than on any other day of the year in the United States? Nearly half of these fires are caused by fireworks. The good news is that you can enjoy your holiday and the fireworks with just a few simple safety tips:
- Leave fireworks to the professionals. Do not use consumer fireworks.
- The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained professionals. After the display, children should never pick up leftover fireworks, as they may still be active.
- Consumer fireworks include sparklers and firecrackers. The tip of a sparkler burns at a temperature of more than 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to cause third-degree burns.
- Each Fourth of July, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured using consumer fireworks.
- The risk of fireworks injury is more than twice as high for children ages 10-14 as for the general population.
