4th of July Firework Safety for Kids

We hear horror stories about kids being injured from fireworks each 4th of July. How can we stop our children from becoming a statistic? Here are ten tips for keeping your family safe this holiday season.

1- Never let a child light the fireworks themselves. When you light the firework be sure to keep your head and body out of the way. Keep your hands back while the firework is lit. Do not lean back in to check if the firework was properly lit.

2- Fireworks are for outdoors only. Do not let your children use sparklers in the house or any other type of firework. Sparks will get on your carpet and furniture and can set them on fire. Stay safe and only use fireworks outside.

3- Fireworks are sold individually for a reason. Do not twist the firework fuses together to make a larger display. Do not light the entire collection or box of fireworks all at once. This will cause a fire and harm to people in the area.

4- Do not point fireworks at a car, house, pet, or person. You do not want to hurt anyone or anything on accident. It is so easy to point a firecracker away from your house and not realize where it could land. You don't want your neighbors coming home to a burning car or dog.

5- If the firework does not properly explode or perform its advertised display do not go near it until you are sure it is not lit anymore. Throw water on the firecracker first to make sure. Do not try to relight a firework that did not work the first time.

6- Have a bucket of water around for accidents. You never know when someone will get hurt. As much as you prepare you cannot always plan for everything. Have a large bucket of water near the firework activities just in case you need it. Also, it would not hurt to have emergency phone numbers on hand.

7- Stay away from the fireworks when they are lit. Back up 10 or more feet after lighting your fireworks. Ensure your children are standing at a safe distance before you go to light the firework.

8- Follow the directions on the side of the package exactly as printed.

9- Use a long lighter to light the fireworks. You can pick up a fireplace lighter or lighter with a long head on it from almost any local store. Using this helps to keep your hands back away from the flame and spark.

10- Remember that fireworks are explosive devices and do hurt people. Never let your guard down for a second.