the top three days for fireworks injuries

You may have seen the news that Ohio is considering legislation to legalize fireworks. With the Fourth of July holiday right around the corner, we want to make sure you know this legislation hasn’t become law and fireworks are still illegal in Ohio. Even if fireworks were legal in Ohio, we still recommend you leave lighting them up to the pros! This holiday should be a fun time for the family to get together and enjoy a patriotic celebration, not a trip to the emergency department. This Fourth of July, remember that safety should be the top priority!

Fireworks can cause serious injuries including burns, hearing loss, blindness and even death. Dayton Children’s Hospital sees several firework injuries every year. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were over 10,000 injuries related to fireworks in 2019.

36% of these injuries occurred in children 15 and younger.

Locally, in 2020, Dayton Children’s emergency department saw 11 injuries related to fireworks, nine of these injuries were on the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th of July. 

tips for keeping your family safe:

1. Leave it to the professionals. Even though firework displays may be canceled this year, it is still best to let the professionals handle the fireworks. Some communities put on public firework displays for families to come and enjoy. Make plans to attend a public firework display rather than trying to put one on yourself.
2. Use glow sticks instead of sparklers. Our little ones have arms that are too short to hold sparklers which can cause them to hold sparklers way too close to their face. Sparklers can heat up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit – HOT! Try substituting glow sticks for sparklers. These can be just as fun and much safer.
3. Keep a safe distance. Make sure that everyone is a safe distance away from where the fireworks are being lit. If something is lit and it doesn’t go off, do not try to investigate it. Instead, keep a bucket of water nearby to dump on it and to make sure that the firework doesn’t go off later.
4. Be educated. If you decide to light fireworks at home, make sure you know what you’re doing!
   • Don’t wear loose clothing
   • Never light fireworks inside
   • Make sure that you point fireworks away from homes, people and anything flammable like brush, leaves and dry grass.
   • Don’t let kids play with them!
5. Be prepared. If you are going to let off fireworks at home, make sure that you:
   • Have a fire extinguisher close by and know how to work it just in case fire happens.
   • Teach your child how to call 911 in case of an emergency.

Please share these tips with your friends and family so that everyone can truly enjoy the 4th of July by celebrating safely! For more information on fireworks safety, visit: https://www.childrensdayton.org/kidshealth/a/fireworks