National Safety Council Tips about Fireworks!

MetroWest Public Safety wants all our residents to have a fun and safe summer. Please keep in mind the following tips from the National Safety Council about fireworks. The NSC advises everyone to stay away from all consumer fireworks and to only enjoy fireworks at a public display conducted by professionals. Following are some fireworks that are legal for consumers to purchase and use in some states. But just because they are legal doesn’t mean they’re safe.

• Sparklers – Parents don’t realize that sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing, and many children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet.
• Bottle Rockets – These small rockets are attached to a stick, lit by a fuse and typically fired from a bottle. Bottle rockets can cause chest, head and eye injuries.
• Firecrackers – Firecrackers are designed to explode on the ground. They can cause burns and other serious injuries.
• Roman Candles – Roman candles eject multiple exploding shells from a tube the user holds in his or her hand. There have been numerous reports of children losing fingers, severe burns and other injuries.
• M-class Fireworks –The explosions associated with these devices can rattle the windows of homes for blocks. They are produced illegally and without quality control, have short fuses and cause hundreds of extremely severe injuries each year.

{Summer Safety – sparkler image}