New Years Eve or 4th of July - Celebrate Safely

Independence Day, July 4^th, is a federal holiday celebrating the Declaration of Independence from 1776, declaring our independence from Great Britain.   Annual celebrations on the fourth of July occur every year.

July fourth is typically a fun day for everyone with back yard barbecues, picnics, fairs, concerts, baseball games, parades, beach games or in their backyard pool. People use July 4^th decorations and fix plenty of food. There typically is great food involving the barbecue and of course, fireworks typically end the day. Almost all cities put on great displays, and many people shoot off fireworks at their own homes.

Many people also set off fireworks on New Years Eve, so all of the safety suggestions apply again in this case.  Have fun, but it is important to keep your eye of your children and they can very quickly make a move you might not expect.

Many people like to buy fireworks to shoot off at home.  Despite federal regulations and state laws fireworks are still available to the public.  Fire work distributors tend to sell near state lines when laws are different for each state. Any firecracker with more than 50 milligrams of explosive powder and any aerial firework with more than 130 milligrams of flash powder are banned under federal law.  State laws vary greatly from state to state.  Typically the banned items are M-80’s, quarter sticks and other large fireworks

Bottle rockets are dangerous because they can fly into the face of a child. Sparklers are considered to be safe by most people but they can explode at close range and cause burn injuries on a child’s hands or face. Younger children aren’t as coordinated as older ones, so they have a higher probability of injury. Just the curiosity of a child can cause them to get to get too close to a firework, especially if one didn’t go off. Some people make homemade fireworks and they are more dangerous. There are instructions all over the internet with instructions on making fireworks, but it can lead to unpredictable explosions

There are 3 types of burn injuries:

First degree burns are not very serious but the skin will be reddened and painful. If possible let cool water run over that area for 10-15 minutes, until the burn is completely cool and it stops hurting. If the burn is not on an area where that is possible, then use cool cloths changing them as needed.

Second degree burns are going to blister and the skin will have a reddened, splotchy appearance. The pain can be severe and cause swelling. Again, you want to cool the burn the same way. After the burn is cool, cover loosely with a sterile gauze bandage. Don’t use fluffy cotton as lint can get in the burn. Bandages keep air off the burn so there is less pain. Do not use ointments, or as they did when I was a child, butter, Crisco or any type of grease. Take an over the counter pain reliever.

Third degree burns are full thickness burns and serious. This is due to all the layers of skin being burned plus sometimes fat, muscle or even bone can be damaged. This will cause permanent tissue damage and is a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately. Don’t remove burned clothing but have the victim away from the fire area. Check for breathing and circulation if a large area of the body is burned. Cover the burn with cool, moist, sterile bandages if you can or clean moist towels.

The other problem with doing fireworks at home is they can cause fires, especially if you are in a dry season. In 2008, a reported 22,500 fires resulted from fireworks and they caused $42 million in direct damage.

All the larger cities and most of the smaller ones offer a lot of fun activities which include spectacular fireworks displays. In NYC, Macy’s will light up the sky tomorrow over the Hudson River. They will feature more than 40,000 shells which explode at a rate of more than  1,500 per minute reaching heights of 1,000 feet in the air. Macy’s trademark is “Golden Mile fireworks effect featuring golden sparks a mile across the river and an additional mile long shower sparkling of red and green.

They have activities throughout the day. There are many parks with activities although alcohol is forbidden; some of the larger parks have a beer garden. At Lake Union they have a special viewing area for people with disabilities. More than 500 people from 75 countries will be sworn in by a U. S. District Court Judge as new citizens of the United States from noon until 1 P.M.  Now how great is that?   At the Swedish Cultural Center they offer a deluxe meal and entertainment, and at Bellevue Family Fourth they have a fun zone entertainment center with rides. There is also a parade for children and pets are welcome. There is literally something happening at every park in Seattle and the spectacular firework display culminates the evening.

Most importantly to many the Braves play at Turner Field.   There are many events around the city for the entire family with a Kid’s Zone, live music from Party and the Moon and City Heat at Lennox Square. People wear their red, white and blue and head to Centennial Olympic Park to see a great fireworks display. 

July 4^th is a wonderful holiday and you want it to be a safe holiday. It is fun to see all the activity in cities across the USA. The fireworks are the most exciting event for the children and even the adults. They are stunning and people fight the large crowds to return year after year. This is our independence celebration which is close to our hearts. Stay in the spirit of our hard fought for independence and have a happy July 4^th.

The copyright to this article is owned by Pamela Oglesby. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.