Jeff Merrick, JD, LLM
Attorney at Law
Pediatric Law Firm
Helping injured children and their families.
1-800-970-5327
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Fireworks safety.
Fireworks can add fun and excitement to a July 4th celebration. Unfortunately, the excitement can include a rush to the emergency room, or worse.
Every year, thousands report to hospital emergency rooms in the month surrounding July 4th. Fifty-five percent of fireworks-related injuries were burns, most involving hands, eyes, and head/face. More than 40 percent of the victims were under age fifteen, and 30 percent were between 15 and 24.
Severe injuries over the past two years have included:
- A 16 year old boy from Kirkland, Washington had his hand partially amputated after an M-80 exploded in his hand.
- An 8 year old girl received second and third degree burns to her leg when a spark from the sparkler she was holding ignited her dress.
- An 18 year old boy was struck in the eye by an exploding rocket. He required replacement of his lens and cornea, and is not expected to regain his full vision.
What’s worse are the deaths. Examples include the following:
- A woman and four children died from a house fire started after placing fireworks debris in a plastic bucket near the house. Some of the debris smoldered into a fire, even though all fireworks had exploded and appeared out.
- A 13 year old boy from Lake Roesiger, Washington was struck in the forehead by a reloadable shell. He sustained a skull fractured and was disconnected from life support two weeks later.
Safety professionals recommend strongly that parents comply with the following guidelines.
LEAVE FIREWORKS TO THE PROFESSIONALS! But if you decide to set them off on your own, make sure you do the following:
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
- Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
- Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, or other flammable materials.
- Never try to relight fireworks that have not fully functioned.
- Keep a bucket of water where lighting fireworks in case of a malfunction or fire.
- Treat fireworks debris as you would embers from a campfire to avoid starting a fire.