The Fourth of July may feel a little different this year due to COVID-19 with smaller barbecues, fewer parties, and limited celebrations filled with displayed fireworks. Although sparklers and similar items can be bought and sold in much of New York State, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) urges residents to let professionals handle the fireworks.
Although sparklers may look harmless, and almost toy-like, they are incredibly harmful and can cause serious injury and fires. “Fireworks and sparkling devices are extremely dangerous in the hands of non-professionals,” said FASNY President Steven Klein. “Although they seem fun, fireworks and sparkling devices can cause serious bodily harm and even death. Fireworks should only be used by professionals who have undergone proper training.”
The tip of a sparkler burns at a temperature of nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which can cause severe third-degree burns. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), sparklers cause roughly 25 percent of all fireworks-related emergency room visits, the most of any type of fireworks device. A 2019 report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that in 2018, fireworks were involved in an estimated 9,100 injuries. Between June and July of 2018, emergency rooms treated 5,600 patients for firework-related injuries. Children under the age of 15 accounted for 36 percent of these injuries. According to the report, forty-four percent of the emergency department-treated injuries were burns, with the most common injury to hands, fingers, and arms.
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