Health Headlines
Even sparklers can be dangerous
Fireworks are delightful — from a safe distance. But up close, and used improperly, they can be dangerous, even deadly.
“Personally, I love fireworks,” said Gillian Mosier, RN, Trauma Program Manager at The William W. Backus Hospital. “But I won’t go near them. I leave pyrotechnics to the professionals, and watch from a distance, or on TV.”
Nearly 10,000 people are treated each year nationwide for fireworks-related injuries, and the effects can be horrendous, Ms. Mosier said: Severe burns, blindness, loss of limbs.
Connecticut law allows consumers to purchase only non-explosive and non-aerial items such as sparklers, fountains, wheels and spinners — not explosives like rockets and Roman candles. Still, said Ms. Mosier, “even with sparklers, you’re playing with fire.”
If you do use legally permitted sparklers, the Backus Hospital Trauma Center urges you to follow these safety tips:
- Obey all state laws, and use common sense.
- Read the instructions beforehand and follow them to the letter.
- Keep burning sparklers away from clothing and flammable objects.
- Only use sparklers outdoors, away from buildings and vehicles.
- Light only one sparkler at a time.
- Never point or throw sparklers at another person.
- When finished, place used sparklers in a bucket of water.
“But better yet,” Ms. Mosier said, “enjoy one of the region’s several professional fireworks shows from your lawn chair. Enjoy the Fourth of July safely — at home, and not in the Emergency Department.”
For more information about fireworks safety, visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/july4/4thjuly.html
