There's No Such Thing As Safe Fireworks

Due to the burn, fire and death dangers involved with using fireworks, the North Shore Fire Department urges citizens to forego utilizing fireworks and enjoy displays presented by professionals.

Each year thousands of devastating fireworks related burn injuries, contusions, lacerations and even some deaths are occurring due to the use of fireworks by citizens.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 2008, an estimated 7,000 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for fireworks related injuries. They further indicate, the risk of fireworks injury is highest for teens ages 15 - 19 and children 5 - 9 with an increased risk two-and-a-half times that of the general public.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) notes devices such as sparklers, fountains, roman candles, and novelties accounted for 40% of injuries; firecrackers caused 18% of injuries.

In addition to these injuries and deaths, according to the USFA, fireworks cause an estimated 30,100 fires each year, resulting in $34 million in direct property loss. This is many more than on any other day and fireworks account for more than half of these fires.

The most common fireworks related question we receive is, “Is there any safe firework?” Our answer is, “No.”

Many adults have shared their childhood memories of playing with sparklers, not realizing just how hot they got or just how dangerous they truly were and still are. Sparklers can reach 1,200 degrees, hot enough to cause 3rd degree burns; some even reaching 1,800 degrees, hot enough to melt gold!

Before thinking, “It’ll never happen to me” or, “We’re very careful. We supervise our children closely when they play with sparklers and other fireworks.” Please consider the following story:

In 2009, after giving a Fire Prevention Month (October) fire safety presentation at one of our local schools, we received a letter from a teacher indicating that a tragedy was prevented due to the information gained from the presentation; a child that listened carefully to the presentation and later used what she had learned to help her classmate.

Two of the teacher’s students were at a Halloween party where the children were using sparklers. A sparkler caught one of the children’s costumes on fire. Another classmate saw what was happening and told the little girl not to move, to stop-drop-and roll as they were taught by the fire department. The little girl performed the stop-drop-and roll procedure, this extinguished the fire and the girl thankfully was not injured.

Knowing how to react potentially saved this little girl from tragic burns or worse.

See images from the NFPA’s 2010 news conference highlighting the dangers of consumer fireworks here. 

Fireworks related tragedies are happening, and could potentially happen to any one of us, should we choose to use fireworks. Prevention is key! Please enjoy a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!

Please e-mail your fireworks stories to jglanz@nsfire.org so that we are able to share them with others and hopeful prevention a tragedy.

 www.nsfire.org