Our Favorite Topic for July 4th: Fireworks Safety

It's that time of the year again! Fireworks and backyard BBQs! ...but since we at Safety Nest are a bunch of party poopers, we're going to talk about a topic folks don't want to think about as they bring those illegal fireworks out of their closets.

That's right, we are going to go over fireworks safety.

First, since everyone loves statistics (I mean, who doesn't since the COVID-19 pandemic started), here are some eye opening ones from 2017 regarding fireworks related incidents:

• 8 people died.

• 12,000 were injured seriously enough to required medical treatment.

• 1,200 injuries were from sparklers and smaller fireworks, the rest? Illegal ones or even home made ones.

• 18,500 fires were started including 300 structure fires and 300 vehicle fires (note this number will likely be higher in a SEVERE DROUGHT in CA and elsewhere).

(Source: the National Safety Council and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

I know #YOLO is all the rage these days and lighting explody things and hearing car alarms go off is so much fun, but please consider the following safety tips so you don't end up burning down the neighborhood or being sent to the ER (yeah yeah I know, such a party pooper):

1. If you have young children, guess what, keep them away from handling fireworks.

2. Older children handling fireworks should have adult supervision.

3. Do not use fireworks if you are drunk and/or high from drugs (I know...crazy talk).

4. Point your fireworks away from people, pets, stuff that can catch on fire (like your house and all that dry grass in your yard...I know, mind blowing info here).

5. Keep a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby in case something goes "wrong"; hint: you can also soak fireworks that were lit but didn't go off in water to prevent it from becoming a fire as it might still be smoldering.

6. Do not light fireworks in a container, because...you potentially just made a homemade bomb that could throw shrapnel everywhere.

7. Do not light fireworks indoors (it hurts me to even have to type this).

8. ...and last but not least, don't use illegal fireworks (too late judging from all the explosions I keep hearing every night since June).

Oh and before you roll your eyes and go off to light some illegal fireworks, please spare a thought for all the war veterans that lots of folks claim to care about in this country. Guess what, many of them suffer from PTSD, and hearing loud explosions at 3 AM is probably NOT helpful for their recovery process.

...and that's all folks, please celebrate July 4th safely. Negative Nancy signing off.