Newspaper Page Text
New fireworks laws spark extra caution
by Kathy Mitchell
This Independence Day
Georgians may legally cel
ebrate with fireworks that
had been outlawed before a
legislative change that went
into effect July 1.
Medical profession
als caution, however, that
just because fireworks are
legal doesn’t mean they are
without risks. Physician So
fia Khan, systems medical
director at DeKalb Medi
cal, warned that like many
everyday items, fireworks
can lead to injury or death
if improperly used. The
more powerful fireworks
that are now legally avail
able in Georgia may shoot
into the air and move along
a trajectory that takes it
far—sometimes thousands
of feet—from where it is
set off, Khan noted. “These
should be used with extreme
caution because they can be
unpredictable,” she said.
“Not every firework op
erates the way it’s supposed
to. Just as some are duds that
don’t go off at all, others may
go off more powerfully than
the manufacturer intended,”
said Khan, who has prac
ticed emergency medicine
for 10 years.
Fireworks injuries are
not common, but can be
serious, according to Khan
and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC),
a federal government agen
cy, which reports that on the
Fourth of July and on sur
rounding days nationally an
average of 240 people a day
go to the emergency room
with fireworks-related inju
ries.
Khan said she sees five
or six fireworks-related
injuries each year—usu
ally around the Fourth of
July. Most of the injuries are
burns. “People burn their
hands holding fireworks
or burn their skin or hair
when sparks fly up,” she
said. Damage to the eyes,
she added, can be especially
serious. According to CPSC,
36 percent of fireworks in
juries are to the hands and
fingers; 22 percent are to
the head, face and ears; 16
percent are to the eyes; 5
percent are to the arms and
7 percent are to the trunk or
other body parts.
CPSC noted that even
sparklers, which many
people think of as relatively
harmless, can reach 2,000
degrees Fahrenheit, about
the same temperature as a
blowtorch. No fireworks are
completely harmless, Khan
emphasized.
Khan said she has seen
fireworks injuries among
all age groups, but they
are more common among
teens and college-age youth.
Adults, she added, should
always supervise young peo
ple who may not understand
the dangers.
Young children should
never be allowed to play
with or ignite fireworks,
according to CPSC. Khan
noted that adults should ex
ercise special caution when
small children are present.
“Little children run around
a lot. A child may be in one
place one minute and before
the parents realize it the
child may be too close to
where the fireworks are be
ing used,” she said.
Directions on fireworks
packages usually indicate
how far people or objects
should be from the device
before it burns or explodes,
but not everyone heeds or
understands the directions.
“People can create a danger
ous situation when they de
cide to get creative with fire
works, doing such things as
tying a group of explosives
together or placing a toy on
top of the device before set
ting it off. A plastic toy can
burst apart and pieces of it
can strike and injure some
one,” Khan said.
She also advised those
celebrating with fireworks to
use them only when sober.
“Alcohol and fireworks are
not a good mix,” she said. “A
person may do foolish and
irresponsible things when
he’s been drinking. This
is not the time to use fire
works.”
There is a reason that
fireworks are regulated by
law, Khan said. “The dan
gers are real. Those who
aren’t certain they can han
dle fireworks safely might
do well to enjoy them at a
public display where the
fireworks are operated by
professionals.”
CPSC offer these addi
tional tips:
• Avoid buying fireworks
that are packaged in brown
paper because this is often
a sign that the fireworks
were made for professional
displays and that they
could pose a danger to
consumers.
• Never place any part of
your body directly over
a fireworks device when
lighting the fuse. Back up
to a safe distance imme
diately after lighting fire
works.
Never try to relight or pick
up fireworks that have not
ignited fully.
Never point or throw fire
works at another person.
Keep a bucket of water or a
garden hose handy in case
of fire or other mishap.
Light fireworks one at
a time, then move back
quickly.
Never carry fireworks in a
pocket or shoot them off
in metal or glass contain
ers.
After fireworks complete
their burning, douse the
spent device with plenty
of water from a bucket or
hose before discarding it to
prevent a trash fire.
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