As we look forward to the 4th of July holiday, fireworks, swimming, and grilling offer plenty of fun summer activities for families across Georgia. However, it's important to be cautious with fireworks, which can quickly turn your Independence Day celebrations sour. While public fireworks displays have safety measures to protect us, fireworks at home may be less safe, especially for kids!
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 10,000 individuals were treated in ERs for fireworks-related injuries in 2022, 38% of which were burns.
With summer camps in full gear and celebrations right around the corner, Wellstar sat down with Dr. Danny Branstetter, the chief medical officer of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, and Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, a Wellstar pediatrician and representative for the American Academy of Pediatrics, to learn their safety tips for staying safe while we celebrate this holiday.
According to Dr. Dolgoff, "The most common injury from fireworks is a hand burn. But it can be worse, such as a hand fracture, cuts, or gashes, or even the loss of a finger," Dr. Dolgoff continued. "Facial injuries, including burns and eye injuries, are also common. If you're going to handle fireworks, please be very careful."
We can be so caught up in the excitement of summer that we don't realize there are other seasonal injuries we should be careful to avoid. Dr. Branstetter reminds us that we see more water injuries like drownings and near drownings, water ski and boating accidents, and even head, neck and spine injuries from diving in shallow water.
He went on to share that with extreme heat, we should plan ahead to avoid heat-related exhaustion, stroke, and sunburns. And to be careful to prevent burns from items that can get hot from the summer sun, like playgrounds and seat belts.
And let's not forget those pesky summer critters, "insect and plant illnesses – from mosquito bites and allergic reactions to poison ivy, bee stings and snake bites."
As a pediatrician, Dr. Dolgoff often works with new parents who wonder if sparklers are safe. She stresses that parents should "not underestimate the danger of sparklers. Sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt some metals. They account for a high percentage of injuries, emergency room visits, and fires every year. The sparks can cause burns and eye injuries." And she added, remember to soak all sparklers in a bucket of water before throwing them away!
If your family plans to participate in holiday activities, remember the word FIRE with these essential safety tips!
- Families: Always avoid holding a lighted firework in your hand, and never point or throw it at another person. Children should never handle fireworks, including sparklers
- Injury: Fireworks should only be lit outdoors, away from people, houses, and other flammable materials. We recommend wearing protective eyewear to avoid eye injuries
- Run Off: Once you have lit a firework, move away quickly, do not light more than one firework at a time, and don't try to re-light fireworks that don't go off
- Extinguish: Keep a bucket of water nearby to extinguish fireworks that do not go off or spark a fiery mishap. Soak both used and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding them
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