Few things say Independence Day like fireworks.
In 2015, the Georgia General Assembly passed a law that allowed the purchase of fireworks, including sparklers, bottle rockets and Roman candles.
But before you create your own version of bombs bursting in the air to celebrate the birth of the United States of America, you need to keep safety in mind.
In the month surrounding the holiday, an average of 230 people go to the emergency room each day for injuries related to fireworks, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
More than half of all fireworks-related injuries are burns, but there are other ways people can get hurt, including cuts and fractures, according to 2012 data from the National Fire Protection Agency, the latest numbers available.
Only 3 percent of those injuries were from public displays, so Gwinnett fire officials encourage families to leave the fireworks to the professionals.
With reduced rain so far this year, the vegetation in the Atlanta area is dry, and Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Hrustich, who is Gwinnett's fire marshal is concerned that sparks from fireworks can not only burn people but also ignite a fire.
"Firefighters are always concerned with the potential for personal injury or loss of property due to fireworks," he said, adding that the public displays go through a vigorous application and inspection process with the fire marshal's office and are conducted by licensed, trained and permitted pyro-technicians. "With many opportunities available for residents to get together and view professional fireworks displays, why take any risks?"
If you want to take the risk, here is an age-by-age guide to how families can enjoy fireworks without a trip to the ER.
Up to age 8
Safety experts say preschoolers aren't ready for sparklers.
"The American Pyrotechnics Association does not encourage the use of fireworks by children; even sparklers can cause injuries if not used properly," said Julie L. Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association.
"As a parent, we need to assess the individual skills of our children before we ever consider letting them handle any fireworks device," she said. "Novelty devices such as 'snaps' or 'pop its' may be fine for children 5 to 8 to enjoy as they contain a nominal amount of pyrotechnic composition and will simply 'pop' when they are individually tossed on the side walk or driveway."
Ages 9-12
Parents need to be careful about deciding when to trust their child with a sparkler, Heckman said, reluctant to name an age since some children act responsibly earlier than others. Plus, some responsible kids can ignore safety rules when they get excited about a situation.
"Consider whether you would let them light a candle or be close to something intended to burn," she said.
Some important safety rules for sparklers:
- Make sure everyone has plenty of space, so no one accidentally hits another person or catches clothes on fire.
- No running. Not only can the sparklers poke and burn people, but some children tend to drop a hot sparkler. If other kids are running around barefoot, they can get burned on their feet. That is actually a fairly common injury at backyard barbecues, Heckman said.
- Keep your arm extended so the flame isn't close to your body or clothes.
- Parents should light a sparkler and then hand it to children. And always keep a bucket of water nearby to cool down the sparkler when the sparks are out.
Teenagers
Heckman stresses that a sober adult always be in charge of fireworks, but added that some teens can be trusted to help.
"Teenagers may light the fuse on cones and fountain devices, which emit a shower of sparks, but only under close adult supervision," she said. "Roman candles and bottle rockets tend to be favorites of teenagers; however, when not used properly, they can cause injuries. So parents truly need to determine if their children are capable of handling any firework device, and a parent should always supervise the activity and review the instructions for proper use with your teenager so they understand how important it is to properly follow instructions."
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