Tips to stay safe during Fourth of July holiday

It’s shaping up to be a particularly festive Fourth of July this year. Pandemic restrictions have been lifted, and the holiday falls on Sunday, making it easy to turn the celebration into a long weekend.

Popular activities such as lighting fireworks, grilling and playing in or near water can be dangerous.

It’s not our intention to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for the days ahead, but this is an appropriate time to remind people to keep safety in mind amid the festivities.

After all, the activities most associated with this holiday — lighting fireworks, grilling, playing in or near water — all can pose a danger.

We’ll begin with fireworks. The best way to enjoy holiday pyrotechnics safely is to attend a public display put on by professionals. But for those who insist on having fireworks at home, keep these precautions in mind.

For starters, remember that it is illegal to set off aerial fireworks within 150 feet of an occupied structure, regardless of whether anyone is in the building at the time. That means most urban and suburban locations are off-limits for the sort of pyrotechnics that became legal in Pennsylvania in 2017. Stick with products that don’t launch high in the air to reduce the risk of injury and property damage. And don’t use fireworks while under the influence of alcohol.

The American Red Cross offers these additional tips:

• Never give fireworks, including sparklers, to small children, and never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable materials. Follow the instructions on the packaging.

• Keep a supply of water close by.

• Wear eye protection.

• Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to relight a “dud.”

• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children and pets.

Grilling is a routine activity in countless American homes, but it poses some significant risks as well. The Red Cross says grilling accidents spark more than 10,000 home fires on average each year in the U.S. To avoid this:

• Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use. Don’t add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.

• Never grill in a house, camper, tent or any enclosed area.

• Make sure children and pets stay away from the grill.

• Keep the grill away from the house or anything that could catch fire.

• Use long-handled tools especially made for grilling.

Any activity around water, whether it be a backyard pool or natural waterway, demands caution. Remember that young children are particularly at risk of drowning in home pools, while older children and teenagers are more likely to drown in ponds, rivers and lakes than any other location.

Resources are available at redcross.org/watersafety and redcross.org/watersafetyforkids. Here are some tips:

• Talk to your children about water safety.

• Swim in areas designated for that activity and with lifeguards on duty.

• Designate a water watcher whose sole responsibility is to supervise people during any in-water activity.

• Drain the water from kiddie or inflatable pools and flip it over after swim time is over.

Want to know more? The Red Cross offers a series of free mobile apps. Download them by searching for “American Red Cross” in your app store or at redcross.org/apps.

The Red Cross Swim App has water safety tips and resources for parents and caregivers along with child-friendly games, videos and quizzes.

The Red Cross Emergency App can help keep you and your loved ones safe by putting vital information in your hand for more than 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts.

The Red Cross First Aid App puts instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies at your fingertips.

By all means have lots of fun this weekend and all summer long. Just be sure to go about it the right way.