As New Yorkers gear up for Fourth of July festivities, the Firefighter’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) warns about the dangers of fireworks – both legal and illegal. FASNY urges New Yorkers to plan ahead and follow some key rules to avoid accidents and injuries.
Fourth of July celebrations can cause a great number of emergencies. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were involved with an estimated 11,500 injuries in 2021, 66% of which occurred in a one-month period around the July 4th holiday. The New York State Department of Health stated that 218 New Yorkers required care from an emergency department for firework-related injuries in 2020, with 56% of incidents occurring in the month of July. It is important to remember that in many cases, the individual injured was not always the individual using the fireworks.
“As New Yorkers prepare to celebrate Independence Day with friends and family, we urge everyone to take into account the dangers associated with both legal and illegal fireworks and review firework safety tips and preparedness plans,” said FASNY President Edward Tase Jr. “The safest way to enjoy fireworks and avoid firework-related injuries this Fourth of July is at professional firework displays in your community.”
Between June and July 2019, 7,300 firework-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms with sparklers accounting for almost one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries. Sparklers, which are legal in the state of New York, burn at nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. FASNY urges all New Yorkers to leave fireworks to the professionals.
Tips from the NFPA and FASNY:
•Attend a local, professional fireworks show
•Livestream a virtual fireworks show
•Use glow sticks instead of sparklers
•Resist the temptation to get close to the firing site – the best view of a professional fireworks display is from a quarter of a mile or more away
•Do not possess or shoot off illegal fireworks on your own. Besides risking injury to yourself and the crowd watching the demonstration, you will be breaking the law. Fireworks, with the exception of handheld and ground-based effects and sparklers, are illegal in New York.
•Do not pick up or attempt to re-light used or “dud” fireworks – they may still cause serious burns or injury.
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