Firework Safety Tips for New Year’s Eve

Fireworks are thrilling, without a doubt. They’re a beautiful display for a festive celebration like New Year’s Eve. However, fireworks come with many risks. If you decide to set off fireworks at home, it is crucial you educate yourself and others involved about the top firework safety tips.

No one wants to spend the New Year holiday sitting in the ER. In this blog, Carpenter & Czelusta discuss the firework safety tips everyone should know.

Continue reading to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones while welcoming the New Year.

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About Firework Accidents

Every year, there are thousands of ER visits due to firework accidents. As you may assume, New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July are prime times for firework injuries. Unfortunately, these situations are often preventable. Occasionally, store-bought fireworks will malfunction and cause harm, no matter how cautious the people involved are. But in most cases, firework accidents are a result of negligence.

One of the most frightening truths is that children between 10 and 14 have the highest rate of ER visits related to fireworks. So, why don’t we ban fireworks? The answer to this question is simple—when communities have banned fireworks in the past, the number of injuries only increases because of the spike in homemade devices.

Therefore, the best way to decrease these unfortunate accidents is to educate the public on the top firework safety tips.

To further grasp the risk of these dangerous explosives, here are some of the most astonishing and eye-opening statistics about New Year’s Eve fireworks:

• We may think of sparklers as harmless and safe to use. But did you know they reach nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit? That’s almost the temperature of boiling lava!
• Illegal fireworks account for 19% of injuries caused by fireworks.
• 68% of firework injuries result from misuse.
• In 2018, fireworks caused almost 20,000 house, vehicle, and outdoor fires, totaling $105 million in damages.
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Stay Safe this New Year’s Eve with Firework Safety Tips

Fireworks are an excellent way to celebrate the New Year with your loved ones. However, with such a risky activity comes responsibility and caution. Use the following firework safety tips to eliminate the chance of a terrible accident as you welcome the New Year.

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1 | Know What You are Working With

When purchasing fireworks to light at home, simply running to the store and picking out the most exciting products isn’t the only thing you need to do. Before buying a product, be sure to read the instructions printed on the box thoroughly. Look for any warnings and take them seriously.

Furthermore, never hesitate to ask questions and express concerns with the staff at the store. If you don’t feel confident that the product is safe for your family or the area you’ll be lighting fireworks, trust your instinct and put it back on the shelf. It’s not worth the risk to your loved one’s safety and well-being.

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2 | Light Fireworks Safely

One of the most critical steps to safely using fireworks is to light them cautiously and correctly. Many of the injuries caused by fireworks occur while lighting them. Here are some tips to ensure your safety:

• When lighting the fuse, keep your body away from the firework. Never lean over the device.
• Once the fuse is lit, quickly back away.
• Never light more than one firework at a time.
• Do not shoot the fireworks off from a glass or metal container.
• Ensure the area you are lighting the fireworks is not prone to catching on fire and does not have valuable items around, like vehicles and homes.
• Don’t use fireworks while consuming alcohol or drugs.
• Wear protective eye gear to prevent eye injuries.
• Ensure the fireworks are not aimed at another person.

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3 | Have Water and other Essentials Nearby

Even if you don’t expect things to go awry, it’s necessary to have water, sand, and sterile saline water nearby. Consider them a part of your New Year’s Eve fireworks kit. Sand and water can help extinguish a potential fire, and saline water is perfect for treating wounds.

Suppose you light the fuse of a firework, and it fails to go off. In that case, do not attempt to relight the device. Instead, immediately soak it with water and dispose of it. Faulty fireworks are unpredictable and highly dangerous. Similarly, all fireworks should be soaked before throwing away, whether they work or not.

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4 | Follow the Law

The law is there for your safety and the safety of others. Please research your area to discover the rules and regulations regarding fireworks. More importantly, never use illegal homemade or altered fireworks.

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5 | Supervising Kids and Teens

Some teenagers are more than capable of using fireworks safely. However, a parent or responsible adult should directly supervise young people at all times. Sudden accidents are always a possibility. Therefore, an adult should always accompany teens while working with fireworks, including sparklers.

It’s best to restrict children from using fireworks. Even seemly-harmless sparklers are dangerous for young kids to use. It may shock you that a lit sparkler reaches almost 2,000 degrees which is hot enough to melt metal and certainly hot enough to set clothes on fire or burn skin.

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How to Enjoy the Holiday Without Risking Injury

There are many ways to celebrate the New Year without dangerous fireworks. Consider skipping the at-home firework display this year. Instead, make plans to watch a professional show in your community where the risk of injury is far less. Public firework shows are thrilling and often more magnificent than the fireworks you may light at home.

Furthermore, you can make the holiday feel just as special with things like:

• Glow sticks
• Streamers
• Confetti poppers
• Bubbles
• Balloon games
• Party horns

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How to Handle a Firework Accident or Injury

Firework injuries can be pretty severe. They often cause serious burns, and pieces of the firework can get under the skin. Not to mention, firework wounds sometimes lead to infections.

If you or a loved one are harmed by fireworks this New Year’s Eve, please seek medical attention, no matter how minor the injury appears. Skipping the hassle of running to the emergency room is not worth the common complications that result from firework accidents.

Properly Addressing Burns Cause by Fireworks

DO-

• Cool the burn immediately under cold and clean water.
• Cover the wound with a clean and dry towel.
• Call 911 for medical help.
• Have the affected individual lie down with their legs elevated.

DO NOT-

• Touch the burn.
• Apply lotion, cream, or ointment.
• Mess with blisters.
• Use sticky bandages directly on the affected skin.
• Use dirty water, like from a lake, to treat the wound or extinguish the fire.

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Can You Make a Legal Claim from a Firework Accident?

It’s certainly possible to make a legal case from an unfortunate firework accident. If you feel the responsible individual has wronged you in some way, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. One of the keys to presenting a case is proving the responsible person neglected the safety and well-being of the harmed person.

Similarly, it is possible to present a case for property damage resulting from the careless use of fireworks. Firework injury cases can be tricky to prove. However, with the team at Carpenter & Czelusta, you know you’re in the right hands.

Our attorneys are passionate and have a strong drive to get their clients what they deserve. Reach out to Carpenter & Czelusta to discover what we can do for you.

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