Safety Tips
• Fireworks such as firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers are far too dangerous for children to handle. If you distribute sparklers to your children, make sure they keep them away from their faces, clothing, and hair.
• Never attempt to make fireworks on your own. Always set off fireworks outside, and keep a pail of water and a hose handy.
• When lighting fireworks, do not hold them in your hand or place any part of your body over them. Protect your eyes with some form of eyewear.
• After an event, don’t let kids pick up fragments of fireworks. Some could still be igniting and exploding at any moment. Before dumping pyrotechnics in the trash Pail, soak them in a bucket of water.
• Take into consideration your pet.
• Animals’ ears are incredibly sensitive, and they can be terrified or worried. Keep dogs indoors to prevent the chance of them running away or becoming hurt.
• If your child has an eye injury, do not allow him or her to touch or rub it, as this may result in further damage. Also, avoid flushing the eye with water or applying any ointment to it. Instead, seek medical help right away because your child’s eyesight may be at risk.
• If it’s a burn, take off your clothes and run cool, not cold, water over the affected area (do not use ice). Make an appointment with your doctor right away.
All fireworks-related incidents are caused by carelessness, stupidity, or ignorance. However, by taking a few basic precautions, these can be avoided. We all enjoy the pleasures of light and sound, but when tragedy hits, the injured must carry the brunt of the burden. Please take a few minutes to go over the instructions if you’re intending to set off fireworks at home this year as ordered by the Supreme Court.
Safely store your fireworks: Until they’re needed, keep them in a locked box somewhere cold and dry, out of reach of children and animals, and away from all sources of heat. It’s best if you’re locked up. Keep the box out of the stairwell and out of the hallway.
Bangs and flashes irritate pets: On fireworks night, pets become highly terrified, so keep all of your pets indoors and close all of the blinds to keep things peaceful. Remember that it’s not just your own fireworks that cause problems, so you may need to keep your dogs indoors on multiple nights when other fireworks displays are going on.
Plan ahead and be ready: Keep a full bucket of water available in case of an emergency or to dispose of used sparklers.
Things to Avoid: Never try to relight fireworks that haven’t ignited properly the first time. Never offer a little child a firecracker object. Never, ever, ever, ever toss fireworks at another person. Never put pyrotechnics in your pocket, and never use metal or glass containers to shoot them off. Never try to produce your own fireworks by experimenting, modifying, or attempting to make them yourself. In the middle of a large crowd, never use a sparkler. Try to light the fireworks and crackers in the largest open space and safest environment possible.
Keep an eye on your appearance: Clothing that is too loose can easily catch fire, so it should never be worn near a fire or pyrotechnics. Long dangly scarves can also be dangerous. If anyone’s clothes catch fire, follow these instructions: Don’t run, but rather stop. Toss yourself on the ground. Roll on to put out the fire.
