Fireworks Safety
By: Kristin Mazur
Updated: July 2, 2009
Fireworks are a Fourth of July tradition for many families. But before you light up, there are a few things you need to consider.
“They do produce fire, explosions, things of that nature; so people should know that there are potential things that could happen” says Joshua Hyde of Phantom Fireworks here in Fort Wayne.
Often times these things involve children. Last year nearly half of all reported fireworks injuries happened to children; most caused by firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers
“The last thing we want are children, anyone, being burnt by sparklers” says Ron Galaviz of the Indiana State Police.
Sparklers are often considered safe, a non-threat, but two-thirds of sparkler-related injuries happen to children 5 and under.
“In order to purchase fireworks you must be at least 18” says Hyde.
Hyde also advises “any consumer to stay away from fireworks that do not have a proper package on them.”
Another safety aspect to consider: read before you buy. Look on the back on your product. It should read ‘1.4 g consumer fireworks.’ If it doesnt, it may not have been properly tested.
Hyde says that they “ultimately those can be illegal explosives as opposed to fireworks.”
Fireworks can only be set off from 9am to 11pm except for July 4. The hours for Saturday are 9am to midnight.
