Don't be stupid around fireworks

With July Fourth fast approaching so are the dangers of fire and injuries from fireworks. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of fireworks-related injuries increases dramatically in the weeks surrounding Independence Day. Each year, approximately 8,500 Americans suffer firework-related injuries. Nearly half of those injured are children.

More fires are reported on July 4 than any other day of the year. On a typical Fourth of July, fireworks account for two out of five of all reported fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Each year, fireworks cause on average 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires and nearly 17,000 other fires resulting in thousands of injuries. The National Safety Council advises everyone to stay away from all consumer fireworks and to only enjoy fireworks at a public display conducted by professionals.

Legal fireworks in Illinois

Permitted novelties include sparklers; snake or glow worm pellets; smoke devices; noisemakers known as "party poppers," "booby traps," "snappers," "trick matches," "cigarette loads," and "auto burglar alarms"; toy pistols, canes, guns, or other devices in which paper or plastic caps containing .0025 grain or less of explosive compound are used, provided they are so constructed that the hand cannot come in contact with the cap when in place for the explosion; and toy pistol paper or plastic caps that contain less than .0020 grain of explosive mixture.

Fireworks

<h3 class="leadin">Sparklers: Sparklers are a lot more dangerous than most people think. They burn at about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing, and children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet.</h3>

<h3 class="leadin">Bottle rockets: These small rockets are attached to a stick, lit by a fuse and typically fired from a bottle. Teens have been known to have bottle rocket wars, firing them at one another and causing chest, head and eye injuries. Physicians at Vanderbilt Eye Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have seen so many eye injuries caused by bottle rockets they conducted a study they hope will lead to better education and "legislative enhancements" on fireworks safety. </h3>

<h3 class="leadin">Firecrackers: Firecrackers are designed to explode on the ground. They are often linked together by one long fuse and explode in a series. They are designed to be very noisy, but they also can cause burns and other serious injuries.</h3>

<h3 class="leadin">Roman candles: Roman candles eject multiple exploding shells from a tube the user holds in his or her hand. There have been numerous reports of children losing fingers, severe burns and other injuries, which are sometimes caused when the device gets jammed.</h3>

M-Class fireworks

Read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting. Adults alone should be handling these and the adult in charge should not be drinking.

• Wear safety glasses.

• Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away.

• Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area; away from buildings and vehicles.

• Never relight a "dud," Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

• Have a bucket of water and charged water hose nearby.

• Never carry fireworks in your pocket or shoot them into metal or glass containers.

• Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.

• Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and putting them in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials.

• FAA regulations prohibit the transportation of fireworks in your checked baggage or carry-on luggage.

• Report illegal explosives, like M-80s and quartersticks, to the fire or police department.

Leave pets at home

• Don't bring your pets to a fireworks display, even a small one.

• If fireworks are being used near your home, put your pet in a safe, interior room to avoid exposure to the sound.

• Make sure your pet has an identification tag, in case it runs off during a fireworks display.

• Never shoot fireworks of any kind near pets.