June is Fireworks Safety Month. Fireworks can be a fun way to enhance a celebration, particularly during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, but fireworks can cause severe burns and fatal injuries if not used correctly or safely.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is one of the organizations that wants people to be safe during Fourth of July celebrations and offers tips on their website for preventing fireworks eye injuries, burns and deaths.
To stay safe, the U.S. CPSC recommends that people:
- Never allow children to play with fireworks
- Make sure that the fireworks you are buying are legal in your community
- Do not buy fireworks packaged in brown paper because this means the fireworks were made for professional displays and not for individuals
- Supervise children’s use of sparklers. Sparklers burn at 2,000 degrees and are a common cause of burn injuries in children.
- Never try to reignite fireworks that did not fully ignite
- Keep water handy in case of fire
- Never store or carry fireworks in pockets
- Never aim fireworks at another person
- Light fireworks one at a time and back away quickly to a safe distance
Have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday!