Have a Safe and Happy Fourth of July
Can’t wait for the professional fireworks display – the one local firefighters supervise so nobody gets hurt? You are taking a huge risk by lighting your own.
Even fireworks that are legal can be dangerous, the U.S. Fire Administration warns. In fact, Fourth of July revelers report 9,300 fireworks-related injuries a year. The biggest culprit: firecrackers, which are responsible for 1,600 of those injuries. Next-worst are bottle rockets and sparklers, which burn at about 2,000 degrees, according to the USFA.
If you must put on your own backyard show, keep it away from power lines. Light your fireworks in open areas so far away from power lines that you cannot see any. If any of your fireworks get tangled in an overhead wire or create a spark on one, call 911 and Escambia River Electric Cooperative immediately. Do not try to solve the problem yourself. Here are additional fireworks safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- Children should be spectators, not participants, in the show. Never give children fireworks or sparklers.
- Read and carefully follow directions and warning labels. Most injuries result from improper use.
- Keep spectators at least 20 feet away and not downwind from where the fireworks will be set off.
- Light fireworks only on a smooth, flat surface away from all flammable materials, including dry leaves.
- Never try to relight malfunctioning fireworks.
- Keep a bucket of water nearby in case of fire.
