Scary Mommy: This Fourth of July, You May Want To Skip The Sparklers
By Colleen Dilthey Thomas
Do you remember the Fourth of July as a child? It was probably hot. There was likely tasty BBQ and sweet watermelon. And as soon as the sun went down and the darkness set in, your super-fun uncle passed out sparklers to all of the kids. It was a rite of passage to hold that fiery stick in your hand and try to spell your name in the air. We weren’t concerned about danger, but we should have taken some precautions.
The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance says that sparklers can burn extremely hot. We’re talking up to 1800F! Something with that kind of heat can give you a serious burn. At-home fireworks are not a great idea, especially if you live in a heavily populated area. Fireworks can end up in trees or on someone’s roof and could potentially burn down an entire house. That’s scary stuff.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported in 2020 that firework accidents caused as many as 10,000 injuries in 2019, including 12 fatalities. Among those injuries, 900 were due to sparklers and half of those injuries occurred in children under five years old.
Scary Mommy talked to Brad Winfrey, BSN, RN, BA, CPST and the manager of the Center for Childhood Safety at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, who said that due to their hot, fiery nature, it is best to keep sparklers away from young children altogether. “Since sparklers can burn at temperatures over 1,200 degrees, we do not recommend young children handle sparklers. Children often wave sparklers close to their faces and clothing which can lead to eye injuries, clothing catching on fire, and facial injuries,” he said.
The CSPC and Winfrey offered similar tips for providing fireworks fun safely this Fourth of July.
See the tips and the rest of the article via Scary Mommy
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