Be sparkler smart and enjoy a safe Fourth

With warm weather and family events, the Fourth of July can be a fun time with great memories. But before your family celebrates, make sure everyone knows about fireworks safety.

 Every year, hospital emergency rooms see burns and eye injuries in kids and adults alike that result from improperly handling fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations. This year, the National Council on Fireworks Safety is urging people to take particular care when using sparklers.

While sparklers are considered safe when a few common sense rules are followed, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that approximately 16 percent of all consumer fireworks injuries are caused by sparklers burning hands and legs, with the majority of sparkler injuries occurring to young children. These are injuries that would not have occurred if there had been close adult supervision and if some basic safety steps had been taken.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these safety steps for sparklers, in the hopes that sparkler injuries to young children can be greatly reduced:

• Children under the age of 12 should not use sparklers without very close adult supervision.

• Never hold a child in your arms while using sparklers.

• Never hold or light more than one sparkler at a time.

• Sparklers and bare feet can be a painful combination. Always wear closed-toe shoes when using sparklers.

• Sparkler wire and stick remain hot long after the flame has gone out. Be sure to drop the spent sparklers directly in a bucket of water.

• Never hand a lighted sparkler to another person. Give them the unlit sparkler and then light it.

• Always stand at least 6 feet from another person while using sparklers.

• Never throw sparklers.

• Show children how to hold sparklers away from their body and at arm’s length.

• Teach children not to wave sparklers, especially wooden stick sparkers, or run while holding sparklers.

Be sparkler smart this Fourth of July, and have a safe, injury-free holiday!

Lynda Metz is the director of community development at Bonner General Hospital. The information in this article is courtesy of the National Council on Fireworks Safety and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.