* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Drake Appears in Teaser for Bobbi Althoff’s New Podcast ‘Not This Again’ – yahoo.com

    Drake Drops a Surprise Cameo in Bobbi Althoff’s Thrilling New Podcast Teaser ‘Not This Again

    From polka to Poison, Corn Palace adjusts entertainment offerings with the times – Mitchell Republic

    From polka to Poison, Corn Palace adjusts entertainment offerings with the times – Mitchell Republic

    How to watch ‘F1: The Movie’ on Prime Video – About Amazon

    Experience the Thrill: How to Stream ‘F1: The Movie’ on Prime Video

    FOX One is now available on Prime Video: Here’s everything to know – About Amazon

    FOX One is now available on Prime Video: Here’s everything to know – About Amazon

    What Are Our Predictions for Taylor Swift’s ‘Life of a Showgirl’ Based on What She’s Told Us So Far? – yahoo.com

    Uncover the Hidden Surprises in Taylor Swift’s ‘Life of a Showgirl’ – Can You Decode Her Clues?

    Bama Dining Serving Up New Food, Entertainment – UA News Center

    Bama Dining Launches Thrilling New Food and Entertainment Experiences

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Why Technology Will Never Take Over Completely – Patheos

    Why Technology Will Never Completely Control Our Lives

    Alcorn State awarded grant to boost STEM with VR technology – WJTV

    Alcorn State Secures Grant to Transform STEM Education Through Cutting-Edge VR Technology

    Hyundai: The Only Way To Beat China Is To Embrace Technology – InsideEVs

    Hyundai’s Bold Strategy to Outpace China with Cutting-Edge Technology

    Teaching older adults how to use technology – WWNY

    Empowering Older Adults to Master Technology with Confidence

    Denver man receives pacemaker using new technology – CBS News

    Denver Man’s Life Transformed by Revolutionary Pacemaker Technology

    Morgan County Rescue Squad is using new technology to recover people missing in the water faster – WAFF

    Morgan County Rescue Squad is using new technology to recover people missing in the water faster – WAFF

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Drake Appears in Teaser for Bobbi Althoff’s New Podcast ‘Not This Again’ – yahoo.com

    Drake Drops a Surprise Cameo in Bobbi Althoff’s Thrilling New Podcast Teaser ‘Not This Again

    From polka to Poison, Corn Palace adjusts entertainment offerings with the times – Mitchell Republic

    From polka to Poison, Corn Palace adjusts entertainment offerings with the times – Mitchell Republic

    How to watch ‘F1: The Movie’ on Prime Video – About Amazon

    Experience the Thrill: How to Stream ‘F1: The Movie’ on Prime Video

    FOX One is now available on Prime Video: Here’s everything to know – About Amazon

    FOX One is now available on Prime Video: Here’s everything to know – About Amazon

    What Are Our Predictions for Taylor Swift’s ‘Life of a Showgirl’ Based on What She’s Told Us So Far? – yahoo.com

    Uncover the Hidden Surprises in Taylor Swift’s ‘Life of a Showgirl’ – Can You Decode Her Clues?

    Bama Dining Serving Up New Food, Entertainment – UA News Center

    Bama Dining Launches Thrilling New Food and Entertainment Experiences

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Why Technology Will Never Take Over Completely – Patheos

    Why Technology Will Never Completely Control Our Lives

    Alcorn State awarded grant to boost STEM with VR technology – WJTV

    Alcorn State Secures Grant to Transform STEM Education Through Cutting-Edge VR Technology

    Hyundai: The Only Way To Beat China Is To Embrace Technology – InsideEVs

    Hyundai’s Bold Strategy to Outpace China with Cutting-Edge Technology

    Teaching older adults how to use technology – WWNY

    Empowering Older Adults to Master Technology with Confidence

    Denver man receives pacemaker using new technology – CBS News

    Denver Man’s Life Transformed by Revolutionary Pacemaker Technology

    Morgan County Rescue Squad is using new technology to recover people missing in the water faster – WAFF

    Morgan County Rescue Squad is using new technology to recover people missing in the water faster – WAFF

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

Injuries From Fireworks Rising: Stay Safe on July Fourth

July 1, 2023
in Health
Injuries From Fireworks Rising: Stay Safe on July Fourth
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

June 30, 2023 — Ryan Katz, MD, a hand surgeon at the Curtis Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, has a patient who got a serious injury from fireworks.

“My patient — I’ll call him ‘John’ because he doesn’t want his real name to be used — is a 23-year-old man based in Maryland,” Katz said. “He was lighting fireworks with his friends. He was holding a mortar — an explosive projectile that’s designed to be launched from a tube — and the device exploded in his hand, blowing his thumb away from his index finger.”

John is still experiencing the trauma of the accident, so he was unwilling to tell the story himself. But was glad to have Katz share his story so others can remain safer during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

John required a delicate and complicated surgery that takes 4 to 6 hours. 

“The skin over his index finger was completely gone, so the index finger had to be amputated,” Katz said. “The soft, supple, fleshy space between the thumb and index finger was also gone, so we resurfaced this web space with skin from his thigh area, creating a free flap.” 

Fireworks-Related Injuries: Common but Preventable

Injuries related to fireworks are common, according to a Consumer Product Safety Commission report in 2022. The agency examined non-occupational fireworks-related deaths and injuries from 2021 and gathered information from news clippings and estimates of injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms, taken from its National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

Commission staff particularly focused on the time between June 18 and July 18, 2021, and found that about 74% of the annual fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency rooms happened that one month.

According to the CPSC report, during 2021:

There were nine fireworks-related deaths.Fireworks were involved in an estimated 11,500 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms.Fireworks-related injuries have increased since 2006 by an estimated 274 per year. More injuries occurred in males than in females (59% vs. 41%).The largest percentage of injuries took place in adults between ages 25 and 44 (32%). Children under age 15 were close behind at 29%.Young adults had the highest estimated rate of emergency room-treated injuries, followed by children ages 5 to 9.

These injuries are preventable, Katz said, if you follow some simple but important precautions. 

Do People Follow Fireworks Safety Measures?

Unfortunately, according to a new 2023 report issued by MedStar Health, a health care system that services Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, many people are not aware of the precautions they need to take when using fireworks. In advance of July Fourth, MedStar Health surveyed 1,000 people living in the Washington/Baltimore region to learn about their holiday plans and knowledge of fireworks safety. 

Some disturbing findings emerged. Although more than one-third of respondents knew someone who had been injured by fireworks, three-quarters still said they were planning to celebrate the holiday with fireworks; 66% said they were planning to use firecrackers, and 61% were planning to use sparklers.

Forty percent of respondents said they planned to use fireworks at home, and 40% said they were unfamiliar with their local fireworks laws.

Perhaps most troubling, over a third (37%) let their children/grandchildren use sparklers, 29% allow them to use fireworks, and 15% allow them to use firecrackers.

The No. 1 piece of advice Katz offers is not to try fireworks at home. “Leave it to the professionals,” he urges. “Where people get into trouble is that they don’t perceive these fireworks as a risk, so they let their guard down.”

What Are the Risks?

According to Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates, the most common parts of the body to be injured were hands and fingers (31%), followed by head, face, and ears (21%), legs (15%), eyes (14%), trunk/other regions (10%), and arms (8%).

The most common injuries were burns, especially to the hands and fingers, followed by lacerations and bruises to the head, face, and ears.

“Eye trauma is very common,” says Katz. So are burns to the arms and legs, face, and trunk. “Most people don’t wear eye protection, and if they get too close to the device and it explodes, it can damage their eyes.” 

Often, homemade launching devices like bottles turn the device into a mortar. “If it explodes, it can send shrapnel to the immediate vicinity, causing all sorts of injuries.”

And when people wear open-toed footwear and use sparklers, “the showers of sparks that come raining down can cause burns on the hands and the toes.”

There are other types of injuries as well. Although Katz does not specialize in treating ears, he is aware of potential danger to the ears because of the loud booms and explosions of fireworks if a person stands too close. “The explosions take place at significant decibel levels and can damage the eardrum,” he said.

Take Reasonable Precautions

“One of the biggest problems I’ve seen is when people try to pick up an explosive device that they lit but that didn’t go off,” Katz said. “They chase it down and wonder if it needs to be relit. But sometimes, there’s a delay in the fuse and it goes off when they’re holding it in their hands.”

He encouraged people to bring earplugs for young children and toddlers to public fireworks shows, and maybe safely swaddle babies in such a way that their ears are covered.

Katz cautioned against drinking alcohol or any other mind-impairing substance (such as marijuana) around fireworks. “When alcohol is in the mix, we tend to see more injuries because people often take more risks.”

And try to buy fireworks from reputable manufacturers. John believes that the mortar exploded in his hand because it malfunctioned. According to the commission’s report, about 31% of the products it selected and tested were found to contain fireworks that did not comply with the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Violations consisted of fuse problems, the presence of prohibited chemicals, and an overload of pyrotechnic materials. A reputable manufacturer may not be a guarantee, but at least it’s a good start. More information can be found on the CPSC website.

‘Hidden’ Injury

Emotional injury often accompanies the physical injuries caused by fireworks, Katz said. “Many people develop posttraumatic reactions, stress, anxiety, and even depression.”

He encouraged people who are dealing with these types of injuries to get professional help for trauma and anxiety, if necessary.

Not Just Fireworks

July Fourth is often celebrated with outdoor cookouts and barbecue, but Katz urged caution around them as well.

“Don’t assume that you automatically know how to use the grill,” he said. Make sure you read the instructions before you light it.”

He said that using an accelerant – such as lighter fluid — is a “bad idea and very dangerous. It’s also not necessary if you know how to use the grill properly, per the manufacturer’s instructions.” 

If you’re using a gas grill and smell gas, you should check for a gas leak before you light it because the grill could explode.

Other areas of safety include watching children and toddlers around bodies of water such as swimming pools. According to 2023 data released by Cook Children’s Healthcare System in Fort Worth, TX, drownings are very common in young children, especially around July Fourth. And drownings can occur even when many adults are around, so it’s advisable to designate a “water watcher” — an adult specifically in charge of watching the children without any distractions.

And make sure you and your children wear sunscreen or protective clothing when you’re outdoors, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Getting sunburned can raise the risk of developing skin cancer.

July Fourth is a wonderful time to enjoy with family and friends. Taking basic safety precautions is the best way to ensure that the day remains fun and festive and isn’t ruined by preventable tragedies.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : WebMD – https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/news/20230630/stay-safe-this-july-fourth-fireworks?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Tags: FireworkshealthInjuries
Previous Post

Making Medicine from ‘Carrot Dust’: The Chefs and Scientists Cooking Up New Ways to Feed Us

Next Post

Cells from Cadaver Pancreas May Help Treat Type 1 Diabetes

Lifeguard, 82, Sets Impressive Guinness World Record After More Than 60 Years Lifeguarding – People.com

82-Year-Old Lifeguard Breaks Guinness World Record After Over 60 Years on Duty

August 24, 2025
Powell’s Rate Cut Signal Reflects Economy’s Delicate Position – Hindustan Times

Powell’s Rate Cut Signal Reflects Economy’s Delicate Position – Hindustan Times

August 24, 2025
Drake Appears in Teaser for Bobbi Althoff’s New Podcast ‘Not This Again’ – yahoo.com

Drake Drops a Surprise Cameo in Bobbi Althoff’s Thrilling New Podcast Teaser ‘Not This Again

August 24, 2025
Hamilton County school board rejects mental health center contract – Chattanooga Times Free Press

Hamilton County School Board Rejects Contract for New Mental Health Center

August 24, 2025
Stick to politics? How Donald Trump is using sports to advance his agenda – The Athletic – The New York Times

How Donald Trump Is Using Sports to Advance His Political Agenda

August 24, 2025
A Home at the End of the World – atmos.earth

Discover Your Sanctuary: A Home at the End of the World

August 23, 2025
CWI officially opens new Health and Science Building – Idaho Business Review

CWI Unveils Cutting-Edge Health and Science Facility Transforming Education

August 23, 2025
Scientists found the missing nutrients bees need — Colonies grew 15-fold – ScienceDaily

Breakthrough Discovery: Key Nutrients That Supercharge Bee Colonies by 15 Times

August 23, 2025
If boomers did these 7 things today, they’d be called “toxic” by millennials – VegOut

If boomers did these 7 things today, they’d be called “toxic” by millennials – VegOut

August 23, 2025
Why Technology Will Never Take Over Completely – Patheos

Why Technology Will Never Completely Control Our Lives

August 23, 2025

Categories

Archives

August 2025
MTWTFSS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Jul    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (786)
  • Economy (807)
  • Entertainment (21,686)
  • General (16,635)
  • Health (9,847)
  • Lifestyle (819)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (808)
  • Politics (816)
  • Science (16,019)
  • Sports (21,305)
  • Technology (15,787)
  • World (788)

Recent News

Lifeguard, 82, Sets Impressive Guinness World Record After More Than 60 Years Lifeguarding – People.com

82-Year-Old Lifeguard Breaks Guinness World Record After Over 60 Years on Duty

August 24, 2025
Powell’s Rate Cut Signal Reflects Economy’s Delicate Position – Hindustan Times

Powell’s Rate Cut Signal Reflects Economy’s Delicate Position – Hindustan Times

August 24, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version