Follow These Tips to Stay Safe This Fourth of July
There is no denying that the Fourth of July is pretty big deal here in the United States of America. What may be just another day for the rest of the world, is our country’s birthday. All birthdays should be celebrated with parties, and this holiday is no exception. Pretty much everyone across the country will be hosting or going to a party in celebration of the Fourth of July.
One of the biggest ways that people celebrate this day, is by setting off fireworks. These fun explosives will light up the night sky on July 4th and fill the air with their booms and crackles. While setting off fireworks is tradition, and fun, a person needs to be careful. They do not want to end up rushing off to the emergency room because they mishandled a firework.
How to Handle Fireworks Safely
No matter how fun they may be, at the end of the day, fireworks are explosives. As such, they should be treated with the proper care and respect. If a person fails to do that, they could hurt themselves, or others. They could even cause property damage.
In order to help prevent anything bad from happening this Fourth of July, here are few firework safety tips.
- Children should not use fireworks. After all, fire is in the name and these are explosive devices. Children should not handle fireworks as they are much more likely to harm themselves or others
- Don’t drink when setting off fireworks. Consuming alcohol makes a person more likely to make bad decisions and engage in reckless behavior. The same is true for drug use, such as marijuana. When a person is setting off fireworks, they need to be careful and fully aware of what they are doing.
- Only light one firework at a time. When it comes to dangerous materials, a person wants to remain in control at all times. One of the best ways to do that with fireworks is to set them off at a controlled pace, one at a time. This reduces the chances of one misfiring and causing an out-of-control chain reaction.
- Keep water sources ready and on hand. Used fireworks should be placed in a bucket of water to ensure they do not go off again unexpectedly. Meanwhile a hose or fire extinguisher should be kept on and nearby in case something needs to be put out.
- Never attempt to fix duds. If a firework fails to go off, dump it in a water bucket and move on. Do not try to fix it. Doing so could accidently trigger it or cause it to catastrophically malfunction once triggered.
- Designate one lighter. Again, fireworks should be set off carefully. Another good way to do this is to have one person in charge of setting them off. Everyone else should keep their distance from the launching area.
- Set fireworks off on a stable surface. Wherever a person is setting off fireworks, it should be stable and level. Any slight deviation could easily send a firework flying in the wrong direction.
- Never set off fireworks indoors. This one is pretty self-explanatory.
- Follow local laws. California has strict laws about fireworks, and so do many cities across the state. A person should follow those local laws. They were established to help keep people safe.
- Only buy fireworks from licensed vendors. California is very strict about what kind of fireworks a citizen can set off. These fireworks, labeled: Safe and Sane, can be found at fireworks vendors that pop up around the Fourth of July.
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Be Safe This Fourth of July
The festivities common with the Fourth of July are meant to be fun. However, that fun can quickly be ruined if a person isn’t careful. One wrong action is all it takes to send a person to the emergency room, or to damage someone’s personal property. In 2017, around 13,000 people were hospitalized and over 18,000 fires were started by fireworks. That is why a person needs to be extra cautious when handling fireworks.
Fireworks are spectacular sights to behold. Do you have a favorite Fourth of July or firework memory? If so, share it down in the comments below.