New Year's celebration: How to use fireworks safely

Celebrating the New Year
How to use fireworks safely

As many people get ready to say goodbye to 2021, some of you might have those fireworks ready to launch right at midnight.

But while fireworks can be fun to look at, they can be very dangerous when in the wrong hands. Therefore, we want to share some firework safety tips to help keep you safe while enjoying the show.

A study from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) showed that 18 people died from non-occupational firework incidents in the U.S. in 2020, six more than in 2019. There were 136 deaths from fireworks misuse in total between 2005 and 2020.

Only adults should light fireworks and they should make sure the fireworks are placed at a safe distance from each other and any spectators.

You should also make sure only one firework is lit at any one time while maintaining a safe distance. It is vital not to hold a lit firework in your hands or light them indoors or throw them at other people as this would cause serious injury.

If you let your children hold sparklers, remember to be vigilant and keep an eye on them. Extinguish the sparkler when you feel it is getting too close to their hands.

Remember to have some water nearby to fully extinguish any fireworks that don’t go off and soak any used fireworks before discarding their packaging.

Finally, when thinking about letting off your fireworks, consider how to keep your pet safe as 45% of animals are terrified of them. Veterans can also have a hard time when listening to the explosions.

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