Firework Safety 101: A Hand Surgeon’s Advice for July 4th
⌚️ read time: 4 minutes
It’s that time of year. The time to celebrate our American independence…and for every hand surgeon to come up with excuses to avoid taking holiday call over the 4th of July.
As I’ve said before, I’m always amused by the seasonality of different injury patterns. Some injuries really do stick to the winter months, and others occur when the sun is out.
But my least favorite time of year (to be a hand surgeon), by far, is the few weeks surrounding the 4th of July.
So here are a few firework safety tips I’ve picked up over the years courtesy of my patients.
1. Only buy fireworks from a licensed dealer
I didn’t know there was another option until one patient of mine came in after a firework exploded on him. He apparently bought ‘off-market’ fireworks that had been altered and re-sold at a better price.
Turns out the hospital bill for his ER visit outweighed the savings.
Sigh.
And while we’re at it. Don’t alter or tinker with your own fireworks either. They’re just little bags of gunpowder waiting to explode.
2. Fireworks and alcohol don’t get along
Unfortunately, Independence Day is known for two things. Alcohol. And Fireworks.
But to nobody’s surprise, it turns out, the two do not play nicely together. In case anyone needed a reminder, getting drunk impairs your judgment, perhaps causing you to take safety liberties you otherwise might not have…
This could go for just about any activity-related injury I see, but I have to say it. Please do not handle fireworks if you are intoxicated.
3. Don’t hold the firework while you’re lighting it
This one’s pretty predictable coming from a hand surgeon.
It seems like something I shouldn’t have to say, but nearly all firework injuries I’ve treated were for some version of the same thing: the patient was still holding the firework when it exploded.
Remember. These things are like little grenades. NOT something to be holding when they go off.
And again, while we’re at it…never point or throw a firework in another person’s direction. I still can’t believe I’m saying half these things, but I’ve seen them all.
4. A dud’s a dud
Sometimes peer pressure is a tough thing to overcome.
Everybody gathers around for the grand finale of your home fireworks show. You’ve saved a special mega-firework for the last sha-bang.
Annnnnd.
It doesn’t work. It’s a dud.
Please, please, please do not go try to light it again.
Sometimes these go off after more time has passed than you might expect. Or as soon as jostled. Or handled.
Just douse the dud in water and come back 15 minutes later to dispose of it.
It’s not worth it.
5. Trix are for kids. Fireworks are not.
I have to be the lame doctor who says this, of course.
Please don’t let kids play with fireworks. It’s all fun and games until it’s…not.
There are plenty of ways to get your kids involved in the celebrations. But fireworks are not one of them. Their brains are under-developed and they just don’t have the reasoning skills to make the right decisions.
Heck, most of us don’t even possess those reasoning skills (see above tips 1-4).
And that goes for sparklers too.
Remember. You’re lighting a stick of gunpowder on fire and handing it over to your child to hold.
Just say no!
Takeaways:
4th of July is nearly synonymous with beer and fireworks. But the two do not belong together.
Please don’t hold a firework in your hand while you light it. And if a firework doesn’t go off as planned, do not attempt to re-light it.
Fireworks do not belong in kids’ hands. Their brains are not developed enough to make the right decision with these dangerous explosives.
Much of this is probably common sense. But it always helps to have a quick reminder before your celebration. Those split-second decisions can last a lifetime!
Now all the doom and gloom is over. I hope you have a great celebration.
Happy 4th of July!
