Rosemont, Ill. - Surgeons who are
members of the American Society for
Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) are urging
would-be Independence Day revelers to
abstain from backyard fireworks
displays. A recent Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) study noted
that a majority of the injuries from the
"consumer" fireworks involved misuse
rather than malfunction.
Fireworks of
some kind are legal in 44 states. But
all fireworks, even sparklers, can
become dangerous if used improperly. The
most common backyard
fireworks-firecrackers, bottle rockets
and sparklers-cause 57 percent of all
fireworks injuries.
"More than one-third of
fireworks-related injuries include
burns, lacerations, fractures and
traumatic amputation to the fingers,
hands or arms," says David M. Lichtman,
MD, president of the American Society
for Surgery of the Hand. "We encourage
people to enjoy firework displays put on
by their city or other organizations-to
leave fireworks to the professionals."
For those still setting off fireworks
on their own, the American Society for
Surgery of the Hand and the National
Council of Fireworks Safety offer the
following tips:
1. Always buy fireworks from
reputable retailers
2. Never experiment or make your own
fireworks
3. While legal in most states, sparklers
may reach temperatures as hot as 2,000
degrees. Keep sparklers out of the hands
of children--no matter how safe an
environment may seem
4. If sparklers are used, do not hold
sparklers or run with them. Instead, put
them in the ground
5. Be sure children and pets are out of
range before lighting fireworks
6. Keep everyone away from falling
debris as well. The debris will still be
hot or on fire
7. When setting off fireworks, always
have a bucket of water and a running
hose nearby
8. Only ignite one firework at a time
9. Never relight a "dud." If a firework
doesn't ignite, wait 15 minutes and soak
the firework in a bucket of water
10. Dispose of spent fireworks by
soaking them in water and then placing
them in an outdoor trash can
11. Should an accident occur, pressure
should be applied to control bleeding.
Call 911 immediately