Keep Your Day Job: Leave Fireworks to the Professionals!
Fireworks are spectacular to watch, but can be extremely dangerous in the hands of amateurs. When celebrating the Fourth of July or other outdoor events, the Springfield Fire Company urges residents to attend fireworks displays put on by trained professionals who follow state-of-the-art fire codes.
Statistics from a report by the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) show that fireworks (objects designed to burn and explode) annually cause tens of millions of dollars in property damage and thousands of injuries, as well as some deaths. Injuries from the intense heat of fireworks, typically harming the eyes, head, hands, arms or legs, can cause blindness, lacerations, amputations and burns. Some burns leave lifetime, disfiguring scars.
"Playing with fireworks invites disaster", says Captain Ed Clapper, Fire Prevention Officer at the Springfield Fire Company. "It's just not worth the risk."
Children are at greatest risk from fireworks, whether as spectators or active participants. According to NFPA's report, in 1995, 59 percent of the fireworks injuries were to a young person under 20, with children between the ages of 10 and 14 most at risk.
"As parents and adults, we have a responsibility to protect our children. While most parents work year round to keep their children safe, if they shoot off fireworks in their backyards once a year, they are placing their children at substantial risk", says Captain Clapper. "Even sparklers, which can heat up to 1200°F, pose a serious danger in a child's hand, or anyone's for that matter."
NFPA, an international fire protection organization whose mission is to increase fire safety worldwide, strongly supports local fire departments' efforts to restrict the use of fireworks. NFPA has worked for more than 50 years to limit the use of virtually all fireworks by the general public. The association believes fireworks can be too unpredictable to be used safely by amateurs.
Have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday from the Members of Springfield Fire Company.
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