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 July
3, 1792, a day after the signing of the Declaration of
Independence, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, “The second
day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the
history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be
celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary
festival.” He further wrote, “It ought to be commemorated as the
day of deliverance… It ought to be solemnized with pomp and
parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and
illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from
this time forward forever more.”
That memorable epoch John Adams spoke of became the Fourth of
July and today one of the main methods of celebration is
fireworks. If we fail to do our part to promote and observe
safety with fireworks, we may find consumer fireworks becoming
history.
Groups of individuals across the nation have joined together to
warn people about the dangers of consumer fireworks. They are
supported by a number of broad based groups and are known as,
“Alliance to Stop Consumer Fireworks”.
In 2010 alone, statistics reported in a June 21, 2012 release of
a Fireworks Report which explores fire and injury dangers
related to consumer fireworks showed an estimated 15,500
reported fires were started by fireworks and 8,600
fireworks-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital
emergency rooms. There are more fires on a typical Fourth of
July than any other day of the year. Fireworks account for more
than any other cause of fires on the Fourth. The fires caused by
fireworks in 2010 resulted in eight reported deaths, 60 civilian
injuries, and $36 million in direct property damage.
We can do our part to reduce these staggering statistics. Here
are some Fireworks Safety Tips offered by the Consumer Product
Safety Commission.
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Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
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Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper
because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made
for professional displays and that they could pose a danger
to consumers.
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Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents
don't realize that young children suffer injuries from
sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000
degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.
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Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks
device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance
immediately after lighting fireworks.
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Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not
ignited fully.
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Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
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Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of
fire or other mishap.
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Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
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Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal
or glass containers.
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After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent
device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before
discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
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Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or
using them.
On
behalf of the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office, remember
that much of our state is experiencing extremely dry weather
with great potential for fires. We encourage you to consider
attending professional fireworks displays, remember that it is
illegal to bring any firework into Nebraska from another state,
think about the impact of fireworks on pets and livestock,
practice all fireworks safety tips, and have a safe and
enjoyable fireworks season.
The NSVFA wishes to thank the Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s
office for the above article written by Ray Nance.
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You can make
a difference!
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