Nebraska Medicine wants you to know fireworks safety
Fireworks are a hallmark of the Fourth of July.
But hospital staff have seen enough of the damage they can inflict.
"Blowing off fingers, blowing off entire hands, injuring of eyes and face," said Nebraska Medicine Trauma Surgeon Dr. Jessica Sanders.
She said 10,000 fireworks–related injuries happen every year nationwide. They can cause debilitating injuries and cost thousands of dollars on hospital visits.
She said injuries most often happen to people between the ages of 14 and 17.
"Most injuries happen when people have altered a firework and then try to light it and then are holding it," Dr. Summers said. "But there certainly are injuries from normal fireworks that just happen to go awry."
She said never hold a lit firework or point one at someone else, don’t play with homemade fireworks and if you have a dud, do not re-light it. Wait 15 or 20 minutes before putting it in a bucket of water.
If you get burned, cool the area with water — not ice — cover it with clean, dry sheets and seek medical attention.
Dr. Summers also has a YouTube video on fireworks safety. You can watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VolZLBGbzqE
