Many people will be celebrating the 4th of July with Safe and Sane fireworks. But despite their name, even Safe and Sane fireworks can pose dangers.
Emergency responders say there is an increase in emergency room visits around the 4th of July because of injuries related to fireworks, especially to people's hands and arms.
“According to the National Fire Protection Association, each year there's 19,500 fires across the country directly related to fireworks use, and then there's, sadly, an uptick in emergency room visits due to burns and other injuries related to fireworks,” said Chief Steve Lieberman, Five Cities Fire Authority.
“So we ask people to be extremely careful. If you've dried out your lawn to conserve water, hey, great effort. Do you not light fireworks near that dry lawn? Right. Use your driveway. Use the street in front of your home. But yes, there is a risk of additional fires,” he added.
Chief Lieberman says Safe and Sane fireworks should be handled by an adult. They should wear long sleeves and only handle one firework at a time.
“Once you've enjoyed the fireworks with your family, they're going to be extremely hot, so you need to leave them be for a little while to cool off. And then once they've cooled off, you need to carefully pick them up and put them in a bucket of cold water for a pretty long time,” Lieberman explained.
He recommends using a metal bucket because hot fireworks can melt a plastic pail.
You can tell that Safe and Sane fireworks are legitimate because they will have a stamp from the California State Fire Marshal's office.
Safe and Sane fireworks are allowed only in the communities of Aroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Templeton, San Miguel, Oceano, Santa Maria, Guadalupe, and Lompoc. All other fireworks are illegal.
