Joys and Dangers of the 4th of July

The sounds of booms and whistles in the air can only mean one thing, the 4th of July is drawing near. The one thing on many kids minds and many kids at heart is getting their hands on the biggest and the best fireworks. One thing is for sure, I have learned. Fireworks are not free, and the bigger they are, often the more they cost.

Every parent knows, the first danger of the 4th is over spending. No matter where you go to get your fireworks, it can and will cost you money to get fireworks. The quickest and best way to save money would be to buy a family pack. You will get both a fairly good variety of fireworks and save some money. It may seem like a lot of money to spend on something that you are going to literally burn up, but in the long run, you will save money. I have personally priced everything that is available in the available family packs individually and it does save you money.

Alright, now that you have your fireworks, there are additional risks and dangers that are associated with fireworks. Fireworks are flammable and, in some cases, explosive. Always read the warning label and instructions, when available, for any and all fireworks that you use. One common injury incurred from fireworks are from firecrackers, sparklers, and roman candles. The reason being is, these fireworks, like any other, are dangerous.

Fireworks should never be handled after lit. Sparklers are the only exception to this, the only thing with sparklers is they should be held away from the face and away from anyone else. As soon as they are done, they should be immediately extinguished in water or in dirt and not touched, because they are hot. Another common, and quite dangerous, practice is lighting firecrackers and then throwing them. Doing this is extremely dangerous, firecrackers are explosives, and as with any explosives, are very unpredictable. The slightest spark can set them off, and often times, the wick can and will burn faster than expected. Roman candles are the same way. They are not exactly explosives, but are dangerous to light in your hand. The roman candle emits balls of colored fire that can give someone second or third degree burns. I have personally seen these fireworks backfire in someones hands. Thankfully the person was not injured, but they learned their lesson.

One final, and probably the most important warning, kids should never be left alone with fireworks. Regardless of the type of fireworks, they are all dangerous, and can all cause series harm. It seems like every year, there is a story in the news about someones child that was injured by a firework when they were left alone. This is a very serious problem. Fireworks, no matter how harmless they seem, should not be taken lightly. Even fireworks as simple as snappers and smoke bombs can be a hazard if use incorrectly.

Basically, I just want everyone to have a happy, joyful, and most importantly, safe 4th of July.