Be Safe This Fourth of July!

6/30/2020 (Permalink)

Fourth of July Firework Safety

Summertime is known for grilling out, soaking up the sunshine, and during the month of July -- fireworks. The beautiful flashing light show in the sky is amazing to watch but requires a lot of safety and precaution. The National Safety Council advises everyone to enjoy fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals, and not to use any fireworks at home. 

In 2017, eight people died and over 12,000 were injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworks-related incidents. Of these, 50% of the injuries were to children and young adults under age 20. Over two-thirds (67%) of injuries took place from June 16 to July 16. And while the majority of these incidents were due to amateurs attempting to use professional-grade, homemade or other illegal fireworks or explosives, an estimated 1,200 injuries were from less powerful devices like small firecrackers and sparklers.

SERVPRO of Chattanooga understands that in these current times many public displays of fireworks may be cancelled due to the global pandemic, and safety for the community comes first. Click here to see information about the status of local firework shows. If you choose to use legal fireworks at home, here are some tips and safety precautions for you, your kids, and pets!

For Lighting Fireworks

1. Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol
2. Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear
3. Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands
4. Never light them indoors
5. Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material
6. Never point or throw fireworks at another person
7. Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting
8. Never ignite devices in a container
9. Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks
10. Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding
11. Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don't go off or in case of fire
12. Never use illegal fireworks

For Kids

1. Never allow young children to handle fireworks, glowsticks are a good alternative for them!
2. Older children should use them only under close adult supervision
3. If you give your kids sparklers, make sure they keep them outside and away from the face, clothing, and hair. Sparklers can reach 1,800°F (982°C) — hot enough to melt gold.
4. Don't allow kids to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event. Some may still be ignited and can explode at any time.

For Pets

1. Keep your pets inside if you or your neighbors are setting off fireworks.
2. Keep sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, charcoal and kabob skewers away from curious pets.
3. Don’t let pets get near your barbecue grill while it is in use or still hot.
4. Make sure your pets – cats and dogs alike – have identification tags with up-to-date information. If you have horses, you might consider marking a safety (breakaway) halter with your contact information and leaving it on your horse during this stressful time.
5. After celebration, check your yard and/or pastures for firework debris

We hope you have a fun and safe holiday! We are here to help if you need us.