Safety Tips for a SAFE 4th of July!

Safety Tips for a SAFE 4th of July!

fireworksIt is amazing how time flies!  The 4th of July is almost here, which means half of 2014 has already past.  It is so nice that the 4th is on a Friday.  This means a 3 day weekend!

Since half the year has past, Friday will be a great time to get together with friends and family. With those gatherings, I am sure that there will be some great food made and consumed. After that, as the day goes on and the sun begins to fall, the sky will light up with fireworks.

Fireworks are as American as barbecue, hamburgers, Main Street Parades and apple pie. Nancy Blogin, President of the National Council on Fireworks Safety, says that most fireworks related accidents could be prevented if some basic safety steps would have been followed.

fireworks-safetyHere are some of the National Council on Fireworks Safety Tips for a Safe 4th of July…

  1. Parents and caretakers should always closely supervise teenagers if they are using fireworks.
  2. Do not allow young children to handle or use fireworks.
  3. Do not use fireworks indoors.  Fireworks are only to be used outside.
  4. If you are shooting fireworks, ALWAYS have water ready.
  5. Read caution labels on fireworks before lighting them.
  6. Some states, cities, towns, municipalities prohibit the use of fireworks.  Know and obey local laws. If it is illegal where you live, do not use them.
  7. Do not use alcohol and fireworks. They do not mix!
  8. Whenever using fireworks wear eye protection (safety glasses).
  9. Never try to relight a “dud”.  The best thing to do is to wait 20 minutes, then soak them in water.
  10. Be sure to soak used fireworks in water before putting them in an outdoor trash can.
  11. DO NOT USE homemade fireworks, or illegal explosives… It is a matter of life and death… they can kill you.

 

Look for our special safety tips for using sparklers in our next post.