July 2024 - Interesting Facts About Fireworks … & A Few Safety Tips

Because July 4^th has long been synonymous with hometown parades and fireworks displays, we thought we’d share some interesting fireworks facts from nationaltoday.com and the National Safety Council.

Did you know …

• The precursor to today’s fireworks dates back to 2 B.C. China when people tossed bamboo sticks onto open flames to hear them “pop.”
• The first manmade firework is credited to a Chinese alchemist who, sometime between 600 and 900 A.D., poured a mixture of gunpowder into a hollow bamboo stick.
• The interesting shapes and colors in today’s displays can be credited to Italians who added aerial shells and metallic powders to the mix.

As beautiful as these displays are, they can be dangerous. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports some 10,000 fireworks-related injuries are reported each year. Children and young adults under the age of 20 account for about 50% of those injuries. The most common causes: incorrect usage and/or amateurs using illegal or professional-grade pyrotechnics.

Although fireworks warnings and safety tips abound this time of year, they bear repeating.

• Always buy/use legal fireworks marked for consumer use
• Light fireworks one at a time, away from grassy areas and flammable items
• Keep a water source handy
• Never hold a lighted firework in your hands
• Don’t try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks
• Keep away from the fire-off point; maintain a safe distance from all fireworks
• Don’t allow young kids to set off fireworks; make sure teens follow precautions and are supervised by an adult
• Never light fireworks indoors or in a container
• Never toss or aim fireworks at people or animals

Despite what people may think, sparklers are not a safer alternative for young children. Sparklers can burn at temperatures ranging between 1,500 and 2,000 degrees and can easily ignite clothing or cause burns. In fact, sparklers account for more than 25% of emergency room visits for firework-related injuries, and children under 5 account for about half of those injuries. Some safer alternatives for keeping your youngest occupied – confetti poppers, glow sticks, colored streamers.

Have a Happy, and Safe, July 4^th!