Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, and you know what that means: Someone’s losing a hand. Well, hopefully not, but experts are cautioning that people stay away from consumer fireworks.
In Connecticut, it is illegal to offer for sale, sell at retail, use, or explode fireworks. Sparklers and fountains are legal to buy and sell, but only by those 16 years of age or older.
Need more reasons to leave fireworks to the professionals? According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2010 alone, an estimated 15,500 reported fires were started by fireworks and 8,600 fireworks-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms across the nation. The associations also claims that there are more fires on a typical Fourth of July than any other day of the year. Fireworks account for two out of five of those fires.
The Fire Protection Association urges that the only safe way to enjoy fireworks is at a public display conducted by trained professionals. And if you do attend a display, you should still be vigilant. Never let children (or anyone else for that matter) pick up leftover fireworks that might be laying on the ground and may still be active.
To view the full Fire Protection Association report and for more information about NFPA and firework safety, visit www.nfpa.org/fireworks.
