Fired up for the Fourth? Handle Fireworks Safely

Bottle rockets, small firecrackers and sparklers, which can burn at 1,000 degrees, can turn Independence Day fun into tragedy if not handled safely.

In the weeks around July Fourth, about 230 people a day show up in emergency rooms across the nation with fireworks injuries. A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission study found that firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers cause the bulk of these injuries. More than half are burns, and 36 percent of injuries involve hands and fingers, 19 percent the eyes, and 19 percent the face.

West Shore Medical Center Emergency Department providers advise local residents and visitors to use caution when handling fireworks this holiday season. The emergency department is open 24 hours a day to treat burns and other injuries. Always call 911 if an injury or illness is life-threatening.

Tips to make your celebrations safer:

• Always read and follow label directions. 

• Have an adult present; only people over 12 should handle sparklers of any type.

• Use outdoors only. 

• Always have water handy (a garden hose and a bucket). 

• Never experiment or make your own fireworks. 

• Light only one firework at a time. 

• Never re-light a "dud" firework (wait 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water). 

• Never give fireworks to small children. 

• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix; designate someone who is not drinking to handle all fireworks.

• Dispose of fireworks properly by soaking them in water and then disposing of them in your trash can. 

• Never throw or point fireworks at other people. 

• Never carry fireworks in your pocket. 

• Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers. 

• The shooter should always wear eye protection and never have any part of the body over the firework. 

• Use legal fireworks only; stay away from illegal explosives. 

In Michigan, certain fireworks are legal, and the public may purchase them without a permit. The Licensing and Regulatory Affairs agency provides the following list of approved novelties, legal low impact fireworks and consumer fireworks:

• Snappers/drop pops

• Snakes

• Party poppers

• Smoke balls

• Sparkling devices

• Sparklers

• Cylindricals (less than 500g of explosive mixture)

• Cones

• Squares

• California rockets

• Smoke devices: Cylindricals, cones, smoke candles

• Sparkling wheel devices

• Aerials

• Bottle rockets

• Reloadable shell devices

• Roman candles

• Fire crackers

• Missile-type rockets

• Helicopter aerial spinners

• Single tube device with report

More information can be found at michigan.gov/lara.