As we gear up for Fourth of July festivities on Tuesday, the Firefighter”™s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has issued its annual warning about the dangers of fireworks ”“ legal and illegal.”¯
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were involved in an estimated”¯11,500 injuries”¯in 2021, 66% of which occurred in a one-month period around July 4. The New York State Department of Health said that”¯218 New Yorkers”¯required care from an emergency department for firework-related injuries in 2020, with 56% of incidents occurring in the month of July. (It”™s important to remember that in many cases, the individual injured was not always the individual using the fireworks.)”¯
”¯Between June and July 2019, 7,300 firework-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms, with sparklers accounting for almost one-quarter of them. Sparklers, which are legal in the state of New York, burn at nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.”¯
“The safest way to enjoy fireworks and avoid firework-related injuries this Fourth of July is at professional firework displays in your community,” said FASNY President Edward Tase Jr.”¯(One example is Playland in Rye, with fireworks at the Art Deco-style amusement park on Monday and Tuesday, July 3 and 4, set to begin at 9:15 p.m.)
Other tips from the National Fire Protection Association, or”¯NFPA,”¯and FASNY include:
Livestream a virtual fireworks show;
Use glow sticks instead of sparklers;
Resist the temptation to get close to the firing site. The best view of a professional fireworks display is from a quarter-mile or more distance;
Do not possess or shoot off illegal fireworks. Besides risking injury to yourself and the crowd watching the demonstration, you will be breaking the law. (Fireworks, with the exception of handheld and ground-based effects and sparklers, are illegal in New York.)
Do not pick up or attempt to relight used or “dud” fireworks. They may still cause serious burns or injury.
Nicole Rigger, founder of ”¯Pets a Go Go”¯in Briarcliff Manor and Stamford, added that nearly half of all dogs suffer from fireworks phobia. Celebrate safely with Fido following her tips:
”¯Close windows and curtains.”¯ Taking this measure to block out any outside stimulants will allow you to create a safe space in your home for your dog to relax for the duration of a nearby fireworks show.
Don’t bring your dog outside.”¯ Walk your dog before any fireworks are set to go off.
Distract your dog. Play games with your pooch and turn on the TV.
Invest in doggie headphones.”¯ Buying doggie headphones ($40 to $70), she said, can not only help you with the Fourth but with other holidays like New Year”™s Eve that typically lend themselves to fireworks displays.
