FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

SAFE FIREWORKS? LET THE PROS DO IT!

Question: My children are intrigued by fireworks that are for sale, but I'm reluctant to purchase them because of safety issues. Am I being overly cautious about this?

Answer: Your concern for your children's safety is justified. All states, except Nevada and Hawaii, have laws restricting the sale, possession or use of fireworks. These laws have been written in an effort to reduce the risk of injuries produced by them. The magnitude of this problem is reflected in hospital emergency department statistics. In the United States, there are about 12,000 emergency room visits each year because of fireworks-related injuries, and 80 percent of these occur over the Independence Day holiday.

Fireworks injuries typically involve burns and, less frequently, wounds produced by flying fragments or falls in the dark. The average age of those injured is 15 years, and 75 percent are males. Another statistic, perhaps, even better illustrates the general dangers of do-it-yourself fireworks about 45 percent of those injured are bystanders, not the person lighting the fuse.

I think it's clear that the safest way to enjoy fireworks is to go to a community fireworks display and let the professionals do the work. However, if despite the very real risks you decide to set some off at your home, there are a few things which you should keep in mind.

The location you choose for your fireworks should be away from any combustible materials, and the surface should be free of obstacles so that your risk of tripping and falling in the dark is minimized. You should always select light-colored clothing to help prevent someone else from accidentally running into you, and the material should be safe around sparks. All fireworks require "fire" so caution must be used to prevent burns.

Here in Ohio the law is in the process of change, and may soon allow Roman candles, bottle rockets and similar items that are legal in many other states. At the current time, though, only sparklers, smoke bombs and snakes are legal in the Buckeye state. Be sure to check on the laws in your state, as well as local ordinances, before you try your hand at amateur fireworks.

The explosive force necessary to make a "BANG" or to propel a rocket into the sky can cause serious damage if it goes off while still in someone's hand. An obvious method for prevention of these injuries is to never light any fireworks while it is in your or someone else's hand. Put the fireworks in a proper holder or on a solid surface. Light the fuse, preferably with a long match, then run-run-run.

Remember that skyrockets and other fireworks go up into the air. Fuses are unpredictable, and sometimes will set off the skyrocket in an instant instead of allowing the usual several second delay. If you are leaning over the rocket when this happens, the rocket goes into you instead of into the sky. Perhaps this is, in part, the reason that bottle rockets are responsible for 57 percent of fireworks injuries. When lighting any fireworks, stand to the side of it and use a long match.

Firecrackers are a perennial favorite because that "BANG" is exciting, and it sure gets everyone's attention. But firecrackers are not all fun. Those which use a small amount of powder will make a nice bang and cause only a burn if they go off in the hand. Larger firecrackers will blow fingers to pieces. If the firecracker is lit on a gravel driveway, it will send gravel shrapnel flying when it goes off.

I like fireworks, and as a kid I lit my share of firecrackers, Roman candles, skyrockets and sparklers. But remember, the excitement of fireworks should not overrule sensible safety precautions. Children need training and supervision in order to use low-powered fireworks safely. And, never try major fireworks yourself they should always be left to the professionals.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.