Independence Day is just around the corner! For many people, this is a fun time of year that is worth celebrating with fireworks, sparklers, family gatherings and BBQs. Popular centerpieces on the table are usually some good ol’ watermelon, roasted corn, burgers, hot dogs and lemonade.

Good times are to be had, but in order to have fun, it’s important to think about safety too, and with fire crackers, sparklers, and fireworks being used, keeping an eye on your kiddos is crucial.
Celebratory items such as those mentioned above can be incredibly dangerous if not used properly or are used with no regard to safety.

Common injuries ERs see around this time of year are burns and eye injuries, but more serious injuries can occur. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 18 people died as a result of firework related injuries in 2020 and over 15,600 people were treated in the ER or hospitalized for them.

As the old saying goes, “if you play with fire you’re bound to get burned,” and this can be true for 4th of July festivities as well. Fortunately, many of these safety guidelines are common sense, but we figured we would share them anyway because a refresher is always good.

1. Don’t let your children handle, light, or pick up spent pieces of fireworks. Even things that seem harmless such as sparklers, can burn at a whopping 2000 degrees Fahrenheit causing burns that can reach bone in a matter of seconds. In fact, the most common injury in children that ER’s see around July 4, are sparkler burns. Trying an alternative to fireworks such as glow sticks, patriotic flags or paper fans, pom-poms or bubble wands are still a lot of fun for kiddos and don’t pose nearly as much of a risk to them as sparklers do.

2. Refrain from drinking alcohol during festivities when children are present or delegate a responsible adult to keep an eye on the kids who chooses not to drink. It goes without saying, but alcohol impairs your judgement, thus making accidents and incidents more likely to happen. Anyone who has had too much to drink should NEVER mess with fireworks or try to light them, because of the possibility of human error which can make people careless and hurt either themselves or someone else while using firework products.

3. Do not try to relight a “dud” or stand over a firework when lighting it. Fireworks that may seem like duds still have the potential of blowing up and causing injury to the users. This is another reason that children shouldn’t be allowed to pick up firework debris, as there is always the possibility they could reignite and seriously harm them.

 

4. NEVER point a live firework towards anyone, any pet or any other animal even as a "joke" as this can cause grievous injury. 

5. Keep a water hose, bucket, or kiddie pool nearby that is filled with water nearby so that you can place used fireworks, fire crackers, and sparklers in them after they are spent. This helps to ensure that they will not reignite and explode again, greatly reducing the risk of injury and harm.

6. Leave fireworks up to the professionals. Instead of hosting firework activities and displays at home, consider leaving those up to the professionals and go elsewhere to view a firework show. Firework shows are much safer than home firework displays. Remember to bring ear protection such as ear plugs or headphones to protect your child’s sensitive ears as well as your own. There are many local firework events happening this year, and if you’re wondering where to go, we recommend checking out the Visit Hendersonville website for an event or for other local options here.

For more information and tips on how to keep Independence Day celebrations fun and safe for everyone, the Red Cross has a great list of safety tips that is worth checking out. To view those, click here.

Another great resource is Healthy Children, located here.

For a great resource on firework alternatives, check out Martha Stewart Living here.