The 4th of July is here, and that means barbeques and fireworks! Many people love seeing the bright colors fly through the night air, but it’s important to keep in mind that fireworks are explosives, and only professionals should handle them.
A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that more than 2,000 people, on average, go to the emergency room with fireworks-related injuries on the Independence Day holiday. Follow these tips to prevent injury from fireworks:
- Attend fireworks displays and leave the lighting to the professionals.
- Do not try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not fully ignited.
- Keep sparklers away from children. They can burn at temperatures about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt metal.
