Arizona is notoriously barren and dry. This makes for inherently dangerous situations come July 4th. Celebrating America’s Independence Day is tradition. Hot dogs, crowds of people and endless fireworks.
Fireworks are a Fourth of July staple and the open desert is a great place to see the sights. However, with the region being covered in brush, it can make for a serious disaster.
Fireworks can cause serious injuries such as:
- Burns
- Skin lacerations
- Death
Here are several firework safety tips to consider this Fourth of July:
Be Prepared
When shooting off fireworks, remember that embers spread like wildfire. Make sure you have a water hose ready and an extra bucket of water, just in case.
All it takes is one ember to catch a field or residential community on fire. The more water on hand, the better.
Keep Pets Safe
Remember that pets DO NOT enjoy fireworks the way humans do. They will innately become fearful and will try to run away if possible.
Make sure your door and windows are properly closed and locked. It will help if you console your animals if home. Do not have your pets outside when shooting off fireworks.
Alcohol is Not Smart
Drinking alcohol and lighting fireworks off is NOT a smart idea. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shared that 9,100 people go to the ER for firework-related injuries around the Fourth of July each year.
Alcohol inhibits smart decision-making abilities and can lead to injury or death. Don’t play with fire if you are intoxicated.
Keep Children Away
Children love fireworks and parents love taking photos. However, even the smallest, innocent-looking fireworks can cause injury.
Keep your children away from fireworks. If they are near the fireworks, keep an eye out for them when fuses are lit until they are fully put out.
Outdoors ONLY
The National Council on Fireworks Safety states the importance of using fireworks outside ONLY. It may seem safe to light sparklers or other non-shooting fireworks inside, but housefires may result.
The National Fire Protection Association stated there were over 19,500 firework-related fires in 2018 alone. The risk is not worth the reward. Only use fireworks OUTSIDE and at a reasonable distance from anything flammable.
No Duds
If you try to light a firework and it does not properly light, it is considered a “dud”. DO NOT try to relight this firework! It can explode.
Instead, soak the dud in a bucket of water for at least 20 minutes. Try to light again and if it does not light, properly dispose of the dud.
Injured By Fireworks?
Were you or a loved one injured by fireworks? If so, David Klink wants to hear from you. Mr. Klink is a Glendale, Arizona personal injury attorney trained in all aspects of injury cases.
He is knowledgeable of state, local and federal law. If you were injured by fireworks that were either defective or by way of negligence of another, call Mr. David Klink today.
Stay safe!
