Setting off fireworks is a classic American pastime and fun for the whole family. It is easy to get distracted by the amazing display of colors, the crack of sparklers, the roar of a fireworks show. Unfortunately, it only takes one mistake for you or your child to suffer a serious injury.
To keep you and your family safe this July 4th, the Husband and Wife Law Team is here with some invaluable fireworks safety tips.
Enjoy Fireworks – Safely and From a Distance
Whether you are setting off rockets or firecrackers this summer, your kids will want to join in on the fun. But as exciting as these devices are, your kids can enjoy them just as much from a distance, rather than the launch point. Kids should never set off fireworks on their own and should never be allowed to play with firecrackers. Before your family gets carried away setting off rockets, make sure to keep your kids at least 10 feet away. You can always tell them they’ll get a better view from a distance.
If any of your neighbors is also setting off fireworks, make sure to give them a wide perimeter. All it takes is one mistake for a rocket to fly off in the wrong direction.
Sparklers Are Great – At an Arm’s Length
Almost every adult can remember a childhood memory of playing with sparklers, but we bet you also remember the burn when one touched your skin or face. If your older kids are going to be around fireworks, remind them to keep the sparklers or poppers at least an arm’s length away from their face, clothes, and other children. If your kids begin to taunt or pester each other with sparklers, do not hesitate to take them away. They may cry, but definitely not as hard as they would if they got a spark in the eye.
Remind Your Kids of Fire Safety
Stop, drop, and roll is the most well-known safety technique for dealing with a fire, but a bucket of water and a hose are just as helpful. When you start setting up your fireworks, make sure to have a bucket of water nearby and hose ready to dose any rogue flames or sparklers. You should always tell your kids where the water is to get rid of their sparklers, and remind them to never pick up firework fragments because they can still be hot or explode.
Take a Break This Year and Enjoy a Professional Show
The easiest way to avoid a firework-related injury is to let a professional handle the show. There are plenty of firework displays throughout Arizona where you can kick back with a lawn chair and enjoy a choreographed show. Feel free to take a break this year and treat your kids to hot dogs without having to worry about any at-home firework injuries.
Avoid Illegal and Homemade Fireworks
There are DIY tips for everything on the internet, but we’d all be a lot safer if they stayed far away from fireworks. Unfortunately, it is fairly easy to see homemade or illegal fireworks being sold on the side of the road nowadays. To avoid running afoul of these illegal – and extremely dangerous – fireworks, make sure to always check the label. Legal fireworks will always have a manufacturer’s name and directions on how to use them, while illegal fireworks will lack any obvious safety instructions.
We encourage you to also read up on local firework laws, learn what is legal in your neighborhood, and check out our other firework safety tips so that you can keep safe this Fourth of July.
Here When You Need Us
If you or your child was injured due to someone else’s negligence, we encourage you to reach out to the Phoenix personal injury attorneys at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. The Husband and Wife Law Team has spent decades standing up for our seriously injured neighbors throughout Arizona and can do the same for you. To discuss how you were injured and learn how to get compensation, call us at (928) 585-5581 for a free case evaluation.