I love the 4^th of July! Independence Day is one of my family’s favorite holidays – the fireworks, the food, the parades, the camping, the picnics – there are so many fun things to do. We even have a family birthday on the 4^th of July – so much fun! We always pack as much fun as we can into the holiday. One of the highlights of our 4^th of July celebrations, as well as that of many others, is shooting off fireworks. It is so much fun to attend the big commercially prepared fireworks shows but there is just something about setting fireworks off at home that draws young and old. This fun doesn’t come without risk. Each year thousands of people make trips to their local emergency rooms with injuries related to at home fireworks. Thousands more are burned and injured in ways that do not require medical treatment. Practicing simple fireworks safety tips can help you avoid being one of those statistics and can keep for 4^th of July fun at a maximum.

Following a few simple fireworks safety tips can make your next at home fireworks show a safe and fun filled time. As with other safety tips, one of the first steps when looking at fireworks safety tips is making the decision to follow them ahead of time. Last minute decisions can be hectic and not very well thought through. Decisions made ahead of time are much easier to stick with and enforce. Need some fireworks safety tips? Here are a few fireworks safety tips that should help you out.

Buy from a retailer
Fireworks safety being when you make sure you are purchasing legal, safe and reliable fireworks. Swap meets, garage sales and newspaper ads are not the best places to purchase fireworks. Homemade fireworks are not safe. Buy from a reliable store or fireworks stand. You’ll know what you are getting and know they are from a legitimate source.

Read the labels
Make sure you read all the labels and know what you are going to be using. Know the space needed for the fireworks you have bought. Know how much they fire and how high they fire. Are sparks expected to spread 5 feet or 25 feet?

Create a clear area and set boundaries
Designate an area to launch the fireworks. Make sure there is a level spot to place the fireworks and plenty of space around to keep people and grasses/trees safe. Set boundaries for the spectators, especially the children. Make sure everyone remains at a safe distance from the launching fireworks.

Pick the designated lighters
Decide who will be able to light the fireworks ahead of time. Stick with those decisions when it comes time to light the fireworks. Too many people running around lighting the fireworks leads to confusion, chaos and possible injury. Have the lighters or other fireworks lighting tools ready for use before the party starts. Many burns happen from trying to light fireworks with unsafe tools.

Safety and water
Most of us know to have a garden hose at the ready when we shoot fireworks at home. It is also good to have a bucket or two of water ready. (Be sure to watch small children around these buckets of water.) Dispose of used sparklers in a bucket with a few inches of water in the bottom. It is so easy to step on a hot sparkler and burn your feet.

Have more fireworks safety tips? Share them with us – we love to hear from you!