Are you looking forward to late summer nights, barbecues, swimming, beach days, and fireworks as a family? This season offers lots of opportunities for memories. Yet, you’ll enjoy them much more if you know your family is safe. With upcoming holidays like the Fourth of July, parents need to understand the dangers of fireworks, how to keep children safe, and how to treat injuries if they occur.
The Dangers of Fireworks
For many, fireworks are an integral part of summer holidays and celebrations. However, not everyone realizes just how easy it is to get burns or eye injuries when lighting fireworks. Consumer fireworks — like the ones used on the Fourth of July — are classified as explosive materials. If they are not handled properly, they can be exceptionally dangerous to everyone (adults and children alike).
As a result, we recommend leaving fireworks to the professionals. Instead of lighting your own fireworks near your house or in your neighborhood, attend a public fireworks display. This not only prevents injury but often prevents needless house or forest fires.
If you choose to light your own, be sure to read the fireworks safety tips below. You should also double check to see if fireworks are legal in your local area. Your local police department is a great resource if you’re unsure.
Fireworks Safety Tips for Families
If you’ve confirmed that fireworks are legal in your area and want to move forward, here are the safety tips you should remember.
1. Purchase legal fireworks
Illegal fireworks account for most fireworks-related accidents. You can determine whether fireworks are legal or illegal based on their label. Legal fireworks will have the manufacturer’s name as well as directions on the packaging.
Illegal fireworks not only lack this information, but they also go by the names M80, M100, blockbuster, or quarter pounder. Although these types of explosives were banned in 1966, you can still find them for sale.
Furthermore, only purchase legal fireworks that were professionally made. You should not attempt to make your own fireworks as these can be incredibly dangerous.
2. Make an “adults only” rule
The best way to keep your family safe is to avoid fireworks altogether. If you decide to engage in this activity, create an “adults only” rule to ensure that kids never handle fireworks.
Adults commonly believe that fireworks like firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers are safe for children to play with because they used them when they were young. However, even sparklers can reach up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (982 degrees Celsius). This temperature is hot enough to melt gold.
If you allow your children to use sparklers anyway, you should only ever light them outside. Make sure their hair is pulled back, and they hold the sparker away from their hair, clothing, and anyone else around them.
A more suitable option than sparklers, rockets, or firecrackers are bang snaps (also called snap-its, poppers, whipper snappers, fun snaps, cherry poppers, etc.). Bang snaps are made of gravel and silver fulminate wrapped in paper. Children older than 6 can throw them on the ground (away from others) to make a fun snapping noise.
Furthermore, kids should never be allowed to clean up fireworks either. This is a mistake countless families make because they believe used fireworks present no harm. Unfortunately, fireworks can still ignite even after they’ve gone off. This means they can explode at any point and cause injury. Only adults should handle used and unused fireworks, and even then, it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
3. Avoid any area where others are setting off fireworks
Fireworks are unpredictable. They may backfire or shoot off in the wrong direction. Even if you’re not setting off fireworks of your own, you should avoid areas where others are setting them off. Additionally, you should not allow your children to play in any areas where people are setting off fireworks, even if they are not playing with the fireworks themselves.
4. Never throw or point fireworks at others
People often point or throw fireworks at others as a joke. However, this can have a disastrous effect. You can cause someone serious bodily harm if the firework goes off unexpectedly.
5. Point fireworks away from homes or brush
To no one’s surprise, fireworks are a fire risk. For this reason, it’s important to keep them away from homes, brush, leaves, flammable substances, etc. Local fire departments respond to over 50,000 fires that are caused by fireworks each year. Don’t be the reason that your home or others in your neighborhood burn down.
6. Light fireworks intentionally
Light fireworks one at a time. You should not hold them in your hand or have any part of your body over them while they are being lit.
If you light a dud, you should never relight it. In some cases, you may think you have a dud, but the fuse may still be smoldering slightly. When this happens, the explosive will ignite before you have a chance to get out of the way.
To keep your body safe, we suggest wearing eye protection. Additionally, never carry fireworks in your pocket. Even simple friction could set fireworks off unexpectedly and cause injury.
7. Soak all fireworks in a bucket before throwing them away
Just because a firework has “gone off,” it doesn’t mean that it is no longer ignited. Avoid any unintentional fires by soaking the used fireworks in a bucket before disposing of them.
8. Consider your pets
Does your pet have a pattern of hiding or howling on the Fourth of July? Animals have sensitive ears. Fireworks can be a big trigger for cats, dogs, and other household pets. If you decide to light fireworks near your home, be sure to keep your animals indoors to reduce the risk that they’ll run away or get injured.
How to Treat Fireworks Injuries
Fireworks injuries are serious. If you or your child is injured by fireworks, you should seek emergency medical treatment at your closest doctor’s office or hospital.
For eye injuries, here is what you should do immediately following the incident:
- Do not touch or rub the injured eye as this can cause more damage
- Do not flush the eye out with water
- Do not apply ointment to the eye
- Do cut out the bottom of a paper cup and place it around the eye
Remember that the actions you take directly after the injury occurs can save your or your child’s eyesight. Don’t delay treatment!
For burns, here are the steps you should take before seeking additional assistance from doctors:
- Do remove clothing from the burned area
- Do call for medical assistance right away as they can advise you further depending on your specific circumstances
Fireworks Safety for Kids
Before you attend any event with fireworks, have a safety talk with your child(ren). Remind them that, although fireworks are exciting, they can be dangerous and cause harm as well.
Here are some pointers you can review. These are simple instructions that can help your child prepare for fun summer barbecues or holiday parties.
- Always listen to an adult about where it is safe to stand
- Never touch or play with fireworks
- Don’t throw sparklers or point them at someone else
Place used sparklers into a bucket of water and never pick them back up - Remember to stop, drop, and roll if your clothes catch on fire
Final Thoughts
Would you like additional help navigating fireworks safety this summer? Jacksonville Pediatric Care Centers provide care. Dr. Benitez and his team of Jacksonville pediatricians work around the clock to provide exceptional pediatric care, including summer care. Book an appointment for everything from camp forms to summer-related illnesses and injuries.
