Reduce the Risk of Injury and Fire with These Fireworks Safety Tips

6/26/2018 (Permalink)

Reduce the Risk of Injury and Fire with These Fireworks Safety Tips

It’s that time of year again when the warm summer night air is filled with the sounds of crickets, locusts, bird chirps, and Boom!..fireworks. While the 4th of July is only one day and one night, the lighting of fireworks seems to be a Summer long ritual. And with the lighting of fireworks comes the dangers of fireworks. From personal injuries to roofs on fire, there are a lot of risks when it comes to lighting and enjoying fireworks in the Summer.

In the article below, we will cover the dangers and associated risks of fireworks and how to reduce those risks. Every year, thousands of people injured and property is damaged due to fires.  So whether you’re enjoying the fireworks or lighting them, be careful and be safe this 4th of July and beyond.

Fireworks are Fire Starters

According to the NFPA, fireworks start an average of 18,500 fire each year resulting in $43 million dollars in property damage. Many of these fires are preventable. When setting off fireworks, keep a safe distance from any structure like a home or building. Make sure you always have some water or an extinguisher on hand in case a fire happens. Many home and structure fires are a result of airborne fireworks, like Roman Candles, landing on roofs and structures where they can spark a fire.

Fireworks can also cause grass, brush and forest fires. If you live in an area that has been suffering a drought, it’s usually best not to light fireworks off as brush fires can start very easily. If you are lighting fireworks off the ground, do it on concrete or dirt rather than dry grass or fields. Brush fires can quickly get out of hand and lead to even further damage as the fires reach homes and vehicles.

Vehicle fires are another common risk when fireworks are being set off. Never shoot fireworks at a car or vehicle. Also, be sure that all vehicles are a safe distance from where the fireworks are being set off to reduce the risk of a stray firework or ember hitting a car. It’s also advisable to keep your car window and doors shut to prevent any stray ember from floating into your car and starting a blaze.

Fireworks Can Hurt You

While fireworks can be loud and beautiful and amazing, they can also be very painful and even deadly. In 2015, emergency rooms treated 11,900 people for injuries from fireworks. Many of these injuries were to arms and legs that resulted in third-degree burns but in the worst cases, people suffered lost fingers and severe damage to limbs.

When lighting fireworks, always make sure kids and adults are a safe distance away from the area where the fireworks are being set off. While kids love sparklers, the sparklers can very quickly burn kids and ignite clothing. The firework that is the most misused if the bottle rocket. Teens and even adults have been known to have bottle rocket wars where they aim the bottle rockets at each other. Over the years, this has resulted in a multitude of injuries including severe head and eye injuries.

The other common injury that hospitals see year after year is from people holding Roman Candles in their hands. Often the Roman Candles do not work as intended and instead blow up in the person’s hand resulting in severe injuries. If you do set off fireworks, always follow the directions and do not misuse them. Also, be sure that they are set off away from any people and aimed towards the sky. With a little common sense, you can have a safe and happy evening setting off and watching fireworks.

Some Final Tips for a Safe 4th of July

It takes just one firework and one mistake to ruin a night and someone's property or even life. Here are some quick tips to follow to ensure that you and your family have a safe and wonderful 4th of July:

• Always light fireworks away from people, buildings, and cars.
• Never set off fireworks inside.
• Keep some water or an extinguisher nearby.
• Never let kids play with fireworks.
• Use fireworks as intended.
• Never try to relight a bad or “dud” firework.
• Don’t launch fireworks towards people or structures.
• Don’t set off fireworks while impaired.

From all of us at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West, have a happy and safe 4th of July. While we are experts at fire damage cleanup and restoration, we hope we don’t have to use our expertise to restore a home or building because of someone misusing fireworks. Be safe and have a great Summer.