As the weather heats up and families migrate outdoors, winter toys are traded in for sunscreen and sand pails. The summer months promise warm days and one of the most anticipated nights: the Fourth of July.

“While fireworks are beautiful to watch, they are dangerous to play with,” says George Davis, M.D., emergency medicine director at Houston Northwest Medical Center. “If not handled properly, fireworks can cause severe injuries to eyes and skin. Even just watching a friend light fireworks can put you at risk.”

In 2007, U.S. emergency rooms treated 9,800 firework injuries: 56 percent were injuries to extremities and 36 percent were injuries to the head. Of this number, nearly one out of two people injured (42 percent) were under the age of 15. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) noted that children ages 5 to 14 had a two-and-a-half times greater risk of fireworks injury than the general population. While the best way to prevent these types of injuries is to leave the show to the experts, it is incredibly important to make sure that children do not handle fireworks. 

Even fireworks sold at a grocery store, such as sparklers or other small novelties, are just as dangerous. A 2009 NFPA report on firework safety stated that these items accounted for 36 percent of the 9,800 emergency room firework injuries in 2007. In addition to personal injury, fireworks also pose a danger to open fields and areas with dry grass. In 2006, fireworks caused an estimated 32,600 fires, including damage to cars, homes, fields and buildings.

If you or a friend chooses to handle fireworks, The National Council on Firework Safety offers the following tips for a safe fireworks celebration.

·        Use fireworks outdoors only.

·        Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.

·        Always have water handy, such as a hose or bucket.

·        Only use fireworks as intended. Don't try to alter or combine them.

·        Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

·        Use common sense. Spectators should keep a safe distance from the shooter and the shooter should wear safety glasses.

·        Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated shooter.”

·        Only persons over the age of 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type.

·        Do not use homemade fireworks or illegal explosives. They can kill you! Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.

“The safest way to watch fireworks is at a professional show, not by setting off fireworks at home,” adds Dr. Davis. “When viewing a fireworks display, respect the safety barriers and select a safe viewing distance of at least 500 feet away.”