Be safe on the 4th of July
…Hope everyone has a happy — and safe — Fourth of July this coming Tuesday! My Independence Day is expected to be very laid-back, as I plan to enjoy the good company of a few friends and family members with a little cookout at our house. There will be no fireworks, though the closest we may come to any type of explosion will be when I accidentally fire up the burners a little too high on our gas grill. (Every year I do this, and every year my wife calmly takes over the duties of grill master and chef, thus ensuring the safety of everyone present.)
So, I am expecting the 4th of July to be once again an uneventful holiday. But it will be nice to just sit back, enjoy the warm weather and have casual conversations with loved ones, with no pyrotechnics or insane “fun” activities that usually end up with me paying a visit to the emergency room. (On previous July 4th get-togethers, I seriously injured myself playing a “friendly” game of football, sliding down a homemade “slip n slide,” and even trying to make s’mores over an open flame. I’m sure my medical insurance company will be very relieved to hear that I’m playing it safe this year.)
As far as firecrackers and fireworks are concerned, forget it. With my track record of holiday-related injuries, I don’t think it would ever be a good idea to play with explosives. I remember when I was a kid and a small firecracker blew up in my hand, and it wasn’t a very fun feeling.
(I also vividly remember the time many, many years ago when I was a youngster and a so-called friend of mine “Doubled Dared” me to light a smoke bomb, drop it in a paper bag, close it, quickly open it and deeply inhale the smoke. And like an idiot, I did it. Seconds later, I was staggering down the street, turning green and clawing at my throat and helplessly gasping for air. If it wasn’t for the quick actions of Dave Coder — who happened to be nearby, saw what I going through, performed CPR and helped me start breathing again, and got me medical treatment – I probably wouldn’t be here today. So between this ordeal and the previously mentioned incident where I almost blew off my fingers, you can see why fireworks are not exactly my best friend.)
And it isn’t just me that has suffered mishaps with the darned things. According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2015 U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 11,900 people for fireworks related injuries; 51 percent of those injuries were to the extremities and 41 percent were to the head.
According to the NFPA, fireworks cause an average of 18,500 reported fires per year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and 16,900 outside and other fires. These fires caused an average of three deaths, 40 civilian injuries, and an average of $43 million in direct property damage.
The agency also reports that sparklers account for more than one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries, and that sparklers burn as hot as 1,200 degrees.
So, it’s very obvious that fireworks can be dangerous. And with that in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to share the following fireworks safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that we should all remember on July 4:
n Do not allow young children to play with fireworks, including sparklers.
n Older children should be permitted to use fireworks only under close adult supervision. Do not allow any running or horseplay.
n Set off fireworks outdoors in a clear area, away from houses, dry leaves and other flammable materials.
n Keep a bucket of water nearby for emergencies.
n Do not try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
n Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
n Never light fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.
n Keep unused fireworks away from fire areas.
n Store fireworks in a cool, dry place.
n Check instructions for special storage directions.
n Observe local laws.
n Never have any portion of your body directly over a firework while lighting.
n Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.
Good advice, and I plan on adhering to the suggestions and hosting a quiet, explosive-free — and ultimately, pain-free — July 4th celebration. We here at the Messenger sincerely hope that everyone celebrates this holiday in the same fashion…
…Speaking of July 4, we encourage the community to go to the Fourth of July celebration at the Greene County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 4. The Waynesburg Lions Club will offer its annual Fourth of July activities, including a pancake breakfast, a car show, fireworks, Miss Firecracker Pageant, wagon rides with Rocky Ridge Acres, children’s activities, live music by Union Sound Treaty and a dedication ceremony.
This is a great family event, and my wife and I are looking forward to taking our son Bryson to it. The little guy loves fireworks, and to see his eyes light up when the sky is filled with the dazzling colors is priceless.
(He loves fireworks so much that I am dreading the day he comes to me and asks me to buy him some. Maybe I’ll save this column so that when he does inevitably ask, I can just hand it to him and make him read the part about how dangerous they can be. Of course, he IS my son, so I’m sure he’ll just roll his eyes and get them anyway. All I can do is pray that he still has all 10 of his fingers by the time he’s old enough to know better.)
So we hope to see y’all at the fairgrounds on the 4th of July! Look for info about the celebration and the Little Miss Firecracker pageant inside this very issue…