INDIANAPOLIS – The Fourth of July holiday is a time to celebrate the nation with food, friends and fireworks, but unfortunately the fun sometimes ends with a trip to the emergency room.
Doctors at St. Vincent Level One Trauma Center said the number of injuries around this time of year usually increase by about a third and many of them are the result of fireworks.
Many of the firework injuries have left people with burns or amputations.
“In the state of Indiana last year there were over 300 firework-related injuries,” said Trauma Program Director Judi Holsinger. “We see at large majority of those as a level one trauma center in Indianapolis. I think supervision is extremely important. I may not have firework shows in my backyard with the family get together, but where are my kids going and are they supervised?"
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To keep your family safe from injuries, keep in mind the following:
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Shoot off fireworks and use sparklers one at a time
- Have a bucket of water ready to discard fireworks after use
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Keep those watching at a safe distance incase of malfunctions
