Dr. Cara M. Christ, Director for the Arizona Department of Health Services is offering safety guidelines for your Independence Day celebration.
“The best thing you can do to keep your family safe is to find a local Independence Day celebration and enjoy watching the fireworks from a safe distance. Letting a professional put on the show will guarantee a safer night for you and your family as you enjoy watching the fireworks together,” writes Christ.
If you do decide to use fireworks at home, please follow these important safety guidelines:
•Never light fireworks indoors.
•Always point fireworks away from houses, buildings, plants, fields, and other people to prevent hazardous fires and injuries.
•Never hold fireworks in your hand or place inside a container.
•Use fireworks as directed on their instructions, and avoid handling them too much as they may backfire.
•Fireworks are not toys and shouldn’t be used by children. Store fireworks out of reach from kids and only allow adults to handle them.
•Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes.
•In case of an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately. Don’t ignore eye injuries or burns. Instead seek immediate medical attention.