7 Fireworks Safety Tips for Independence Day

Although Independence Day is a fun time to spend with friends and family, don’t forget to keep safety in mind. There are hundreds of fireworks-related injuries every year around Fourth of July weekend, many of which could be prevented with simple safety guidelines. Here are a few to help you enjoy your celebration.

1. Maintain adult supervision on the fireworks at all times. Even if you don’t plan on using them for a few hours, try not to let them be unsupervised if there are children around to avoid any accidents. When lighting fireworks, make sure all children are in eyesight and are safely away from them.

2. Be careful with sparklers. Although they are a lot of fun for the kids, they can burn at up to 2,000 degrees! A dropped sparkler can easily cause a burn or start a fire depending what it falls on.

3. Keep water on hand. After a firework has been used, dampen it to prevent any of the packaging from possibly reigniting. It is also essential if a firework misfires or accidentally ignites something else.

4. Place fireworks on a stable non-flammable surface, such as concrete, asphalt, or dirt to launch. Make sure that everyone is a safe distance and no one is near the firework when it goes off.

5. Be cautious of strong winds. It may not be safe to be lighting fireworks in such conditions.

6. Use in an open area. Some people enjoy doing a small firework display from their backyard, but this is not usually a good idea. There are often other homes nearby, and many possible objects that could be struck by projectile fireworks.

7. Most importantly, make sure fireworks are legal in your area! A quick Google search for this information can save you from any potential fines or legal charges against you.

We wish you all a safe and fun holiday!

Here are some more firework safety tips and information from the Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks/