Firework Injuries on the rise
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According to industry and government data, fireworks-related injuries nationwide in the United States are on the rise.
More than 6,000 children are seen in the emergency room for at-home related injuries. In the past 13 years, over 85,000 children under age 19 were treated in emergency rooms for burns and other injuries from firecrackers, bottle rockets and sparklers. Boys receive the most injuries making up 80 percent of the children injured, with 60 percent of those injuries being burns.
Fireworks-related injuries killed 36 people between 2000 and 2005. Two teens were amount the four reported deaths in 2005.
Last year Kelsey Carpenter of Pleasant City, Ohio, became one of these statistics. The 13 year old was lighting a handful of sparklers for a group of younger children with the first sparkler ignited the handful at once. This accident resulted in third-degree burns to her left hand; required two days of hospitalization followed by several months of therapy. Kelsey, now age 14 has permanent scars to her left hand.
Most individuals believe that sparklers are safe however, sparklers account for half the injuries to children less than 5 years old in 2005. Sparklers can ignite closing and cause severe burns.
Julie Heckman of the American Pyrotechnics Association, a fireworks trade group states, Most fireworks are misused, including when parents let young children handle sparklers.
Firecrackers are the number one contributor to injuries followed by sparklers then aerial devices. Bottle rockets are dangerous because they're so unpredictable.
Dr. Gary Smith, an emergency room doctor at Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio reports about 22 percent of children injured were bystanders not directly handling fireworks; 60 percent of injuries were burns; and eye, faces, and hands, were the most commonly injured body part
.
Researchers recommend the safest way to enjoy the 4th of July is to take children to a public fireworks display run by professionals.
http://www.aap.org
http://www.cpsc.gov
http://www.americanpyro.com