HEADLINE HEALTH – Thinking about setting off some home fireworks or attending a 4th of July gathering with private fireworks? Here are some items and information that may improve your experience.
- Kevlar mine boots [used by soldiers in highly mine infested areas]
“Marysville teen who lost foot in fireworks accident shares warning” – Fox 13 Seattle
- Groin protector
“Man blows off part of his genitals with fireworks near Traverse City.” – Michigan Live News
- Get a sitter
“Thousands of children are injured each year from home fireworks, sometimes fatally.” – healthyhearing.com
- Blasting Gloves
“Fireworks hand injury comprised 53% of all hand injuries in a recent study of emergency room data. These injuries most often occur while attempting to light the fuse; the injury is caused by a fuse burning too quickly, not giving the victim enough time to get away.” – Brandon P. Donnelly, MD, hand, wrist, and elbow surgeon
“Leave the fireworks to the professionals. In a split second it blew off my whole hand. All I could do was think about my son and was I going to make it. Now I’m truly blessed to be alive. Now when I look at fireworks I think about safety.” – Jason Pierre-Paul on the incident that left him hospitalized for weeks.
- Impact-resistant eye protection
“Consumer firework-related injuries can be devastating and lead to permanent vision loss. Long-term effects of trauma may include corneal scarring and blind disfigured eyes. ” – American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Personal injury defense attorney
Personal injury lawyers are standing by to sue homeowners for devastating fireworks “accidents”: “Fireworks are an entertaining American tradition. They can also be dangerous, even deadly. Estimates are that there are more than 9,000 fireworks-related injuries and several reported deaths each year in the United States.” – Kline & Specter, personal injury attorneys
- Homeowners policy
“The National Fire Protection Association [says] that around 31,300 fires were started by fireworks in 2022 to structures, vehicles and outside areas. These fires caused an estimated $109 million in direct property damage.”
- Burn Center “Hot”-Line
“While the area of the burn may be small, it can be quite deep since the chemicals involved in fireworks generate an enormous amount of heat. The explosive effect of a fireworks blast can also cause serious soft tissue injury requiring surgery for repair.” – Alisa Savetamal, MD, Connecticut Burn Center, Bridgeport Hospital | Find a Burn Center
- Pithy one-liners for party poopers
Have some snappy comebacks ready for anyone who expresses concern over your use of private fireworks:
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- “Accidents only happen to other people.”
- “I don’t use my genitals much anyway.”
- “Relax, prosthetic hands have really improved.”
- “You’re obviously not very patriotic.”
- “If don’t care about my own safety, I sure don’t care about yours.”
PLAN B – SAFE FIREWORKS AT HOME
Enjoy the most glorious fireworks you’ve ever seen without leaving home. The only device you’ll need is your tv’s remote control:
PARADE MAGAZINE, ALEXANDRA HURTADO, JUN 24, 2024
After years of lighting up the East River, the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration is relocating. For the first time in more than a decade, the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks will be illuminating the New York City skyline from the Hudson River. The 48th edition will feature more than 60,000 shells, plus more than 30 colors and never-before-seen effects. [NBC and Peacock will be the home for this year’s holiday spectacular.]
“Each year, we gather to celebrate summer moments with friends and family – the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks sits at the center of those celebrations and captivates millions of spectators nationwide with breathtaking sights, striking sounds and show stopping performances by iconic artists and musicians, creating the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration and lasting memories,” Will Coss, executive producer of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, said in a statement.
“This year’s Fireworks will feature never before seen effects created for Macy’s, special surprise and delight moments and an exciting musical score of summer’s greatest hits, inspiring our audience nationwide.”
Mark Johnson is the editor and publisher of the 270-page PHYSICIANS’ DIRECTORY OF TRUSTED REMEDIES. He has more than three decades of experience as a writer for Prevention, Mayo Clinic, Men’s Health, and other consumer health publishers.
