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Fireworks Accidents and How to Prevent Them

Fireworks are incredible to watch when done safely, but they can also be extremely dangerous. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 9,700 injuries related to fireworks were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2023. Most of these accidents are preventable by following proper safety procedures. Read on as we share details on some of the most common fireworks accidents and useful tips on how to prevent them.

Common Fireworks Accidents

Fireworks create many different types of accidents. Understanding the most prevalent types of fireworks injuries can help you take precautions to avoid becoming another statistic.

Burns

Severe burns are by far the most common fireworks injury. Burns can result from direct contact with the explosive flame, hot debris raining back down, or even sparks that land on clothing and continue burning. These burns often affect hands and fingers, but the face, eyes, legs, and torso are also frequently impacted depending on how close someone is to the explosion.
Burns from fireworks are extremely painful, causing nerve damage and destruction of skin layers. Depending on the degree, they may require grafting skin from other parts of the body. Burns can cause permanent disfigurement and loss of function in affected areas as well.

Contusions and Lacerations

About 17% of fireworks injuries come from contusions and lacerations from explosions. These are often caused by debris from devices, including shrapnel-like fragments from mortars and rockets. Serious eye injuries and even loss of vision or eyes is possible from being hit by pieces of casings and shells hurtling through the air at high velocity.
Shrapnel from mid-level explosions can also strike arms, legs, torsos, and heads, cutting into flesh and muscle. These lacerations require stitches, surgical repair procedures, or even plastic surgery. And the impacts themselves can fracture bones or cause internal bleeding and organ damage.

Fires

Fireworks that tip over after lighting or debris that land on a roof or lawn can ignite structural fires rapidly. These can engulf homes, garages, brush, and more before firefighters arrive.
News reports over the years document countless families left homeless and losing everything but the clothes on their backs from damage caused by a firework landing in the wrong place or signaling the start of a devastating wildfire.

Deaths

While fatalities are rarer than damaging injuries and fires, fireworks still kill multiple people and destroy families each year. Deaths result from direct hits to vulnerable body parts, wounds hitting major blood vessels, smoke inhalation, or subsequent infections and organ failure in burn patients.

How to Prevent Fireworks Accidents

Now you know how bad firework related accidents can be. Hence, it is important to learn how to prevent these accidents. Here are some useful tips that you can follow to prevent fireworks accidents.

Never Allow Children to Handle Fireworks

Fireworks contain explosive chemical compounds and emit searing heat. Children lack the maturity to handle them properly. Always keep matches and lighters out of reach of kids too. Consider attending public fireworks displays instead of buying for home use when children will be present.

Limit Alcohol Consumption

Fireworks and alcohol do not mix well. Consuming alcohol impairs judgment, coordination and reaction time. These faculties are critical to using fireworks safely. Save the adult beverages for after the show.

Have Water and Fire Extinguishers Available

Fill buckets with water and place them around the launch area. Make sure a connected garden hose reaches the entire zone too. Fire extinguishers provide backup protection if grass or structures ignite. Assign a sober adult as a safety spotter to watch for fires and react quickly.

Keep First Aid Supplies Handy

Stock a well-equipped first aid kit to treat minor burns or injuries promptly. Include bandages, antiseptic cream, burn gel and other medical essentials. Know emergency contacts and routes to medical facilities in case life-threatening situations occur.

Only Light One Item at a Time

Attempting to ignite multiple devices simultaneously splits focus and reduces control. It also makes it harder to identify and address safety issues with individual items. Light one firework at a time for optimal oversight.

Don’t Relight Malfunctioning Fireworks

If a firework fails to launch or detonate properly, don’t try relighting it or otherwise intervene. The delayed ignition could seriously injure you. Instead, let duds sit for at least 20 minutes, then soak overnight before disposal to render inert.

Properly Discard Spent Fireworks

The debris left behind after aerial explosions or handheld sparklers remains extremely hot and can burn someone if stepped on or handled prematurely. After displays, patrol the area and soak spent fireworks in buckets overnight before discarding.

Wear Protective Gear

Always don fire safety apparel when working with fireworks. Sturdy shoes shield feet from hot casings. Cotton and denim clothing minimize burn risks better than synthetics that can melt. Wear safety glasses to protect eyes too.

Keep Fire Sources Away

Never smoke or allow open flames around fireworks, including activities like grilling food at Independence Day gatherings. Store fireworks away from ignition hazards like gasoline, lighters and matches too. Even a stray spark can trigger explosions.

Use Common Sense

Horseplay has no place around explosives. Never throw fireworks or aim them at people, animals or buildings. Carrying fireworks in pockets risks accidental ignition too. Let common sense prevail over reckless behavior.

Outdoor Use Only in Designated Areas

Always use fireworks outdoors in clear open spaces away from spectators, buildings and vehicles. The designated area should be free of dry vegetation and other flammable materials. Hard, flat surfaces like concrete or pavement work better than grass, which can allow tipping.

Consult Local Laws

States, counties and cities all have their own regulations regarding the sale, possession and use of consumer fireworks. Some ban aerial devices and allow only novelty items like sparklers and smoke bombs. Others prohibit all consumer fireworks. Know the laws in your jurisdiction.

Read Labels and Instructions

Carefully check out fireworks packaging beforehand, so you understand a product’s intended effects, operation and potential hazards. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly. Ask for guidance if you are confused about anything.

Launch Fireworks Safely

After lighting a firework’s fuse, immediately move away quickly. Poor timing risks exposing you to explosions that can maim and cause blindness. If a device doesn’t launch properly, don’t approach it prematurely either.

Protect Eyes and Ears

Always wear safety glasses when lighting fireworks yourself or watching displays up close. The brightness can permanently damage eyes. Earplugs help prevent hearing loss from loud aerial detonations too.

Monitor Weather Conditions

Gusty winds increase the probability of wayward fireworks starting unintended blazes. Drought also elevates wildfire dangers. If conditions aren’t ideal, postpone your show. Fireworks often scare pets too, so keep them indoors during displays.

Be Considerate of Neighbors

Not everyone likes fireworks disrupting their peace. Before putting on shows, inform people living nearby about timing so they can take precautions and prepare themselves and pets.

Store Fireworks Safely

Improper storage spots like hot garages can degrade fireworks’ quality and reliability over time. Follow guidelines for keeping them in cool, dry locations out of reach of kids. Inspect inventory before displays and discard damaged goods.

Use Common Sense

No guide can cover every scenario. You’re responsible for exuding good judgment about lighting aerial explosives. If something seems unsafe, don’t do it. Focus on fun instead of pyrotechnic daring with fireworks shows.

Dangers of Unsafe Fireworks Use

Mishaps with fireworks inevitably increase around holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, many accidents cause serious bodily harm and destruction of property simply because safety is ignored. By learning what can go wrong and how to prevent it, you can entertain responsibly.

Injuries from Fireworks

Fireworks are technically low-grade explosives that burn extremely hot, making them hazardous when handled recklessly. Banging limbs on unseen stationary fireworks or approaching live ones can cause impact wounds and serious burns. Blindness and loss of fingers or entire hands are real possibilities too.

Fire and Property Damage

Unsupervised fireworks launches in dry areas or gusty winds can also spark blazes that rage out of control. Wildfires that damage thousands of acres frequently originate from wayward fireworks. Structure fires from landing embers are common as well.

Preventing Fireworks Accidents

The thrill of lighting your own fireworks display often overrides cautious sensibilities. Just remember that your fun isn’t worth the pain of spending weeks in a hospital or losing your home. Follow the tips below for celebrating more safely.

Carefully Position Fireworks

Always point fireworks skyward, secured upright on flat, hard surfaces using sand bags or blocks to prevent tipping. Make sure they fire away from people, animals and anything flammable. Monitor for proper launch angles.

Prep the Surrounding Area

Clear a large open zone downrange of fireworks launches of anything burnable. Mow tall grass/weeds and thoroughly wet down the area to reduce fire risks. Have multiple water sources nearby in case of ignitions.

Restrict Access

Allow only sober personnel to light fireworks. Keep untrained people like children and spectators back at least 30 feet for ground items and 300 feet for aerial fireworks. Mark off firing and viewing zones with barricade tape and signs.

Follow Fire Restrictions

Check for burn bans in effect due to dry conditions. Even moderate winds can blow flaming debris astray to start fires. Launching fireworks in prohibited settings risks citations and liability for damages.

Supervise Closely

Adults who ignorantly enable children to play with fireworks bear responsibility for subsequent injuries. Stay engaged, talk about dangers, set expectations and closely supervise kids around pyrotechnics.

Prepare for Emergencies

Have personnel ready to use water and fire extinguishers in case wayward fireworks ignite something. Make evacuations plans for rapid deployment upon accidents. Keep medical supplies and phone numbers handy as well.

Practice Caution

A few moments of summer entertainment aren’t worth months of pain and rehabilitation from catastrophic fireworks injuries. Take ownership of risks by slowing down, paying attention and thinking before acting carelessly. You can reduce chances of accidents by being prudent.

How to Enjoy Fireworks Responsibly

With proper precautions, fireworks can create incredible displays and lifelong memories without putting people or property in danger. The keys are conscientious planning and adhering to safety guidelines.

Planning/Preparation is Key

Like any large scale event, successful fireworks shows don’t happen spontaneously. They require careful advance consideration of location, weather, equipment, crowds, and safety provisions. Check with local officials on ordinances and permitting before purchasing any fireworks. Scout potential launch sites to ensure get flat, open space away from people, buildings, and dry vegetation. Have emergency response contacts handy and an evacuation plan just in case.

Follow Guidelines = Safety

The safety rules and instructions outlined in this article may seem extensive but following them is what prevents accidents and injuries. Minor details like bracing fireworks tubes or refusing to relight misfired items can eliminate major issues down the road. Take the time to internalize these common sense fireworks usage guidelines until they become second nature.

Spectacular Shows Possible

While fireworks demand healthy respect and caution, used maturely they can dazzle crowds for special events like New Years Eve, Fourth of July parties, weddings, grand openings and more. Imagine the delight on loved ones’ faces as dazzling bouquets of light fill the sky in celebration. Fireworks let us glimpse heavenly masterpieces. Just be sure to prioritize safety so the only oohs and aahs heard are for the breathtaking sights in the sky, not from pain and tragedy.

Final Words

Fireworks are a beloved American tradition that illustrate our pride, freedom, and taste for spectacle. Yet as gorgeous as professional-grade pyrotechnic displays may be, they also carry serious risks if not handled properly. The dazzling lights, thundering booms, rich smoky smells, and glittering streamers consume our senses and create lifelong memories. But we must respect their explosive power not just on Independence Day but every day we celebrate with fireworks.
With accountability and wisdom, fireworks offer a gift to create joy. We encourage readers to appreciate fireworks’ beauty responsibly so that future generations can continue lighting up the night together.