Safety tips keep July 4 safe as well as fun

Although the Fourth of July can be one of the most enjoyable holidays of the year, it also potentially is one of the most dangerous.

According to data collected by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, in 2022, 324 Missourians sought hospital care related to fireworks; 292 of those people were treated in emergency rooms and released; and 32 were admitted to the hospital. More than three-fourths of those fireworks injuries occurred in the three-week period leading up to and following Independence Day. During that period, 252 people with fireworks injuries sought hospital treatment in emergency rooms or were admitted for inpatient care.

In Kansas, there were a total of 146 injuries caused by fireworks in 2023. The person igniting the firework was most likely to be injured, and the hands were the most common body part to be injured. Over half of the injuries that occurred from fireworks that happened on July Fourth were from burns. There was a 43 percent increase in reported injuries from 2022, the Kansas Department of Health reports.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, far more fires are reported on a typical Independence Day than on any other day of the year, and fireworks account for more than half of those fires. In 2018, fireworks caused an estimated 19,500 reported fires, including 1,900 total structure fires, 500 vehicle fire, and 17,100 outside and other fires. These fires caused five deaths and $105 million in direct property damage.

Fireworks sales at licensed seasonal retailers are legal in Missouri from June 20 to July 10. State permits should be displayed at all seasonal retail locations. Missourians who choose to use consumer fireworks should follow basic safety practices:

• Purchase fireworks only from a properly licensed retailer.
• Always wear eye protection and earplugs if you have sensitive ears.
• Tie back long hair, and don’t wear loose-fitting clothes
• Light only one firework at a time.
• Never try to relight fireworks that have malfunctioned.
• Never have any part of your body over fireworks.
• Keep young children away from fireworks.
• Never throw or point fireworks at other people.
• Never carry fireworks in your pocket.
• Make sure to have water nearby in case of a fire or an accident.
• Dispose of fireworks by soaking them in water and leaving them in a trash can.
• Never light fireworks indoors.
• Don’t use fireworks while consuming alcohol. Use a “designated shooter.”
• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place. Don’t save fireworks from season to season.

Anyone with concerns about a fireworks dealer or the types of fireworks being sold by a dealer should contact the Division of Fire Safety at (573) 522-6207 or inspect@dfs.dps.mo.gov.

–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice