Firefighters offer tips to avert July 4 disaster

After watching a childhood friend sustain irreversible eye damage from a firework, Ed Griffin, Orlando Fire Department District Chief, understands the importance of firework safety on a deeper level than most.

As Fire Station One loomed above, Griffin and fellow District Chief Adrian Fernandez explained how to prevent firework injuries from dampening July 4 celebrations.

Their department is asking people to attend city celebrations, like Orlando’s Fireworks at the Fountain, rather than host their own explosive events, Fernandez said.

Public festivities will have safeguards in place, and accidents at private parties may strain department resources during a busy time.

Fernandez said the agency normally fields between 1,000 and 1,200 calls per shift, but this number will likely spike around the festivities.

However, firefighters recognize not everyone will heed their advice to avoid explosives, despite the fact that most of them are technically illegal in Florida except for agricultural use.

“It would be naive to say people are not going to [use fireworks],” Griffin said. If citizens do decide to buy their own fireworks they should follow several precautions.

The goal is two-pronged, he said: ensuring fire safety and personal safety. To avoid starting fires, revelers should only deploy fireworks in clear areas and should keep a water source nearby.

The department also advises reading the directions, though even with perfect use, things can go wrong.

On Tuesday, American Promotional Events recalled 36,100 units of fireworks, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The product reportedly exploded without warning when lit, burning users.

Generally, “superficial burns [from fireworks] are not uncommon,” Griffin said.

During the month surrounding Independence Day, about 250 people show up in emergency rooms every day with fireworks-inflicted wounds, CPSC said.

Injuries most frequently occur when people — especially kids — attempt to relight a “dud” firework, Griffin said. However, when reignited, the device can detonate unexpectedly in the person’s hand, inflicting serious injury.

Eye damage is the second most common kind of firework-related injury, he said. When spectators look upward to watch a firework show, falling debris may cause irreversible eye injury.

Even seemingly harmless sparklers are a hazard. Capable of reaching 1,200 degrees, they’re hotter than most of the full-blown fires his department sees, Griffin said.

To decrease the likelihood of being injured by fireworks, people should extinguish “dud” fireworks in water, wear goggles and avoid carrying explosives around with them, the department said. While the Fourth of July may be a time to celebrate, drinking and detonating fireworks is also a no-go.

Parents should discuss firework safety with their children in preparation for July 4, Griffin said. As he knows personally, the consequences of Independence Day fun gone wrong can be lifelong.

“It’s a split second,” he said, “and you can’t just take it back.”