By Brett Callwood
You can always be sure that, as July 4 approaches, the sky will be filled with the sights, sounds and smells of Fireworks. What is a joyous season for some is an undeniable pain to others.
Those that are partaking in the explosive passtime, however, should adhere to the appropriate safety tips, in order to make sure that all fingers and toes are present and correct on July 5. The United States Consumer Product Safety Division (CPSD) issues a handy-dandy guide, easily accessible at cpsc.gov.
The rules are necessary. According to their reporting, nine people died and 11,500 injured last year due to fireworks-related injuries.
“Of the nine U.S. deaths, six were associated with firework misuse, one death was associated with a mortar launch malfunction, and two incidents were associated with unknown circumstances,” reads their website. “There were an estimated 11,500 emergency room-treated injuries involving fireworks in 2021—down from the spike (15,600) experienced in 2020, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many public displays were canceled.”
In addition, individuals aged 20 to 24 years had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries in 2021.
The CPSD’s safety tips are as follows:
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Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to melt some metals.
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Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap.
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Light fireworks one at a time, then move quickly away from the fireworks device.
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Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
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Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
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Never point or throw fireworks (including sparklers) at anyone.
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After fireworks complete their burning, to prevent a trash fire, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device.
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Make sure fireworks are legal in your area, and only purchase and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer (not professional) use.
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Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Those rules should be carefully followed on July 4 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Rowley Park, 13220 S. Van Ness Ave., Gardena. The show will start at sundown, and the Gardena PD released a statement to say that, “In anticipation of the holiday, the City of Gardena also reminds the public that it is illegal to possess, store, offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail, give, furnish, use, or explode any fireworks within the City of Gardena. Only “Safe and Sane” fireworks are permitted on the 4th of July between noon and 10 p.m.”
If everyone follows the safety rule, a good time will be had by all.
For more information, visit CPSD.gov.
