6 Tips for a Safe and Fun Fourth of July

From backyard barbecues to spectacular fireworks shows, the 4th of July is the highlight of summer. However, if you don’t take safety precautions, injury and property damage can spoil the fun of the holiday. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that emergency rooms treated 9,100 injuries from fireworks in 2018. Sadly, kids under the age of 15 sustained 36% of those injuries, most of which were preventable. It is easy to keep your friends and family injury-free and still have a great celebration. Just follow these 6 tips for a safe and fun Fourth of July.

  1. Do not let children play with fireworks. In addition, make sure that there is always an adult supervising any fireworks activity.
  2. Keep a bucket of water or a working hose nearby to douse fireworks if necessary.
  3. Keep spectators, especially children, at a safe distance at all times while lighting fireworks.
  4. Never point a firework at a person, car, house, or other object. Keep the area directly surrounding the firework is clear of any debris that can catch fire or interfere with your ability to retreat.
  5. Do not attempt to re-light a firework that does not start.
  6. Douse used fireworks thoroughly in a bucket of water or with a hose before discarding them in the trash.

We hope that these 6 tips help you enjoy your Fourth of July and stay safe!

Written by: Stuart Schmidt, MS, ATC, CSCS athletic trainer supervisor for The Center Foundation in Bend, OR. Learn more about Stuart HERE.

The Center Foundation provides sports medicine services to young athletes at no charge to the students or their families. We do this by placing certified athletic trainers in local high schools to keep kids safe. Learn more about our work HERE.

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REFERENCES:
https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks
https://www.chp.edu/injury-prevention/safety/holiday-and-seasonal/fireworks