In honor of National Fireworks Safety Month (June 1- July 4), Cobb & Douglas Public Health (CDPH) urges residents to follow these precautionary tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to help prevent injuries and fires related to fireworks.

  1. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
  2. Always keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or mishap.
  3. Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
  4. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
  5. Do not point or throw fireworks at another person.
  6. Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them from a metal or glass container.
  7. Light fireworks one at a time, then move back from them quickly.
  8. Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
  9. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
  10. After fireworks complete their burning, douse the device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

Using these fireworks tips for the holiday will help ensure that everyone has a safe and fun celebration.

Fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires per year, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the CPSC estimated in the 2016 Fireworks Annual Report that hospital emergency rooms treated 11,100 people for fireworks-related injuries. Most commonly, injuries affected the hands or fingers of an individual, followed by the eyes.

For more information about fireworks safety and how to prevent injury, visit https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks or https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Seasonal-fires/Fireworks

 

About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb & Douglas Public Health, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, has been committed to the mission of “Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” since 1920. We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies. For more information, visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org.