How safe are your fireworks?

Summertime is in full swing as many families anticipate vacations and holidays throughout the upcoming weeks. One such holiday, Independence Day, is just around the corner. The coming of July 4th causes many to think about barbecues, concerts, parades and parties. Many people plan to celebrate with fireworks. Fireworks stands are popping up everywhere! Dad, mom and the kids will visit the fireworks stands looking for the biggest, loudest or most spectacular rocket they can afford. The old standby sparklers, bottle rockets and fire crackers are bought by the thousands all over the nation.

While the excitement builds with everyone planning for the holiday, parents need to be aware of the dangers consumer fireworks can create. Unfortunately, along with the thrill of shooting off fireworks, comes the reality of the pain they can cause. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 230 people go the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries around the July 4th holiday. Almost 40 percent of fireworks-related injuries come from sparklers and fire crackers. Among those who are injured each year, over one-third of them are youths. In 2015 alone, 11 people died and more than 11,000 were injured badly enough to require medical treatment. While the majority of the incidents of injury were due to amateurs attempting to use professional-grade, homemade or other illegal fireworks or explosives, thousands were from less powerful consumer-purchased products. Few people realize the associated risks which can include devastating burns and even death. Along with the risk of personal injury, the National Fireworks Protection Agency reports that fireworks start an average of more than 18,000 fires per year.

After reading all these statistics, what is a family to do to stay safe? Most safety groups will tell consumers to just take the family to a professional fireworks display. Almost every city or county will have a display to attend. But for those who like to purchase and use consumer fireworks, there are some safety standards to follow.

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.

• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents do not always realize that young children can suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees, which is hot enough to melt some metals.

• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.

• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not properly ignited.

• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.

• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.

• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

People all over the United States will celebrate during the week of July 4. Make sure your Independence Day celebration is a safe one!

4-H

There are 4-H clubs for Garland County youths who are 5 to 19 years old. For information, call the Extension Office at 623-6841 or email Linda Bates at lbates@uaex.edu.

EHC

Interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? For information, call 623-6841 or email jvincent@uaex.edu.

Master Gardeners

If interested in becoming a Master Gardener and would like information, the public is welcome to attend their monthly meeting at 1 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge; call the Extension office; or email abates@uaex.edu.