On Tuesday, Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July and the 247th birthday of the United States.
The holiday is synonymous with barbecues, parades, and fireworks. There are several things to do across the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, including The Village Green’s fireworks celebration on Saturday night and the Highlands Fireworks on Tuesday night at 9 p.m.
But if you’re planning to shoot off fireworks at home, please be careful – especially around young children and your pets.
According to the National Safety Council, fireworks are the cause of an average 18,500 fires each year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and nearly 17,000 other fires.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that, in 2021, there were an estimated 1,600 emergency department-treated injuries associated with firecrackers and 1,100 involving sparklers. At least nine people died because of their wounds.
Here are some tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission related to fireworks:
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees, which is hot enough to melt some metals.
• Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move quickly away from the devices.
• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak these with water and toss them out.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
• Never point or throw fireworks, including sparklers, at anyone.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in the area, and only purchase and set off fireworks that are labeled for consumer, not professional, use.
• After the fireworks finish burning, to prevent a trash fire, douse the firework with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before throwing it away.