As the Fourth of July approaches, learn how to keep your celebrations safe.
Summer is here, and for many of us, the longer days and warmer nights also bring up a core childhood memory: fireworks displays. The Fourth of July may be the prime occasion for ooh-ing and aah-ing, but plenty of professional shows and at-home celebrations are likely to take place throughout the summer. Despite both their beauty and popularity, however, fireworks are still explosive devices, and you should handle them accordingly if you don’t want your summertime festivities to end in tears.
Most fireworks-related injuries take place in the month surrounding the Fourth of July, leading various organizations to name both June and July as Fireworks Safety Month. In 2023, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that there were 6,400 fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency rooms over the course of the year. Of those, roughly 19% were to the eyes—behind only the hands (35%) and the rest of the head (22%).
Our eyes are fragile, and the debris and chemicals in fireworks are uniquely dangerous to them. Safe handling of fireworks is essential to avoid hurting yourself or others. Here’s what to consider as you prepare for summer celebrations.
1. See a professional fireworks show instead of hosting at home.
In many states, fireworks aren’t legal for consumer use. But even if they are, the best way to avoid an injury is to let the professionals handle the show. Cities, towns, and other host organizations can connect with trained, licensed professionals who will conduct the show knowledgeably and from a safe distance, so all you have to worry about is finding the right viewing spot.
One big cause for concern is the fact that even legal, commercially available fireworks aren’t as safe as they might claim to be. The CSPC found in 2023 that 18% of the fireworks they tested included parts or ingredients that didn’t comply with their safety regulations, like unsafe fuses or restricted chemicals. You can avoid the uncertainty by leaving fireworks to the experts, who have access to consistent, high-quality products.
2. If you do decide to use fireworks, follow safety guidelines.
If fireworks are legal for private use in your area and you decide to celebrate with them yourself, there are steps you should take to minimize the chances of anyone getting hurt:
- Wear eye protection. Use safety glasses that meet the ANSI standards for protective eyewear, to shield you from debris.
- If a firework doesn’t go off, or only partially goes off—if it’s what’s called a ‘dud’—don’t touch it or attempt to relight it. Soak it thoroughly in water and dispose of it.
- Keep a bucket of water on hand to put out hot ashes, soak duds, or help control small fires in an emergency.
- Set off fireworks far away from anything flammable, like buildings, dry leaves, paper, or grass.
- Make sure any other people and pets are at a safe distance and are paying attention (or, in the case of pets, are under control).
- Never light a firework inside a container. It could shatter and throw off shrapnel.
- Keep your face, hands, and other body parts away from fireworks, and never lean or hover over one.
3. Pay special attention to the risks of sparklers.
Although they’re often seen as harmless or appropriate for kids, sparklers should be used with care. They burn at very high temperatures—as much as 2000 degrees Fahrenheit—and can cause a third-degree burn on skin in just moments. A spark at that temperature can do significant, permanent damage to the eyes, causing injuries and even vision loss.
Sparkler injuries are especially common among young kids, who may not know how to handle them safely—or whose faces are just at the right height to encounter a sparkler in someone else’s hand. Make sure that anyone handling sparklers knows how to do so responsibly, and keep them well away from young children.
4. A fireworks injury to the eye is a medical emergency—call 911.
If someone’s eye is injured by a firework, call emergency services right away. Professional medical help is your best chance of preventing permanent damage to the eye.
While you wait, it’s natural to want to try and make the injured person more comfortable—but there are some crucial guidelines to follow to avoid making the injury worse:
- Don’t try to remove anything stuck in the person’s eye.
- Don’t rub the eye or apply any pressure to it.
- Don’t take any painkillers or medications, like ibuprofen or aspirin, unless instructed by a medical professional.
- Don’t apply any ointments, sprays, or other substances to the eye.
- Do keep anything from touching the eye or any object stuck in it. This is especially important for children, who may want to touch or rub their eye if it hurts. To shield the injured eye from accidental contact, you can gently tape a clean paper cup or a similar container over the eye socket.
Beyond being painful in the moment, physical injuries to the eye can also increase your risk of certain eye conditions—like glaucoma or cataracts—later in life. Prompt treatment and a thorough medical history are essential when the injury happens, but they’re also important for keeping your eyes healthy in the long term.
Stay prepared for the unexpected with support from Heritage.
Changes to our vision are virtually inevitable as we age. And whether those changes arrive as a gradual part of the aging process, or as part of a sudden emergency, they’re easier to tackle when you know you have access to expert help.
Heritage connects you with a nationwide network of handpicked vision care providers who can partner with you to achieve your healthiest vision for the long haul. Whether you’re setting a baseline with regular eye exams, monitoring a chronic condition, or giving your child the support they need to succeed, Heritage has seen firsthand the difference that quality vision care can make. That’s why we’re committed to making it as accessible as possible.
Join the Heritage family or connect with a trusted provider today to lay the foundation for healthy vision in the future.