Caution needed for setting off fireworks

Talk about it

Pomp and parade.

That’s what John Adams said the Fourth of July should include in a letter he wrote to his wife, Abigail, on July 3, 1776 — a day before the United Stated declared its independence.

In 1776, pomp and parade meant bonfires, bells, games, sports, guns and, of course, fireworks.

In 2012 the Fourth of July includes everything from children’s bike parades, grilled frankfurters, cruising the water with the pontoon and watching the night sky dance with colors and flame.

It’s America and it’s what we do best — Independence Day.

But it could be done more safely.

Every year, thousands of people across the country show up at emergency rooms with fireworks-related injuries. Some are as minor as skin burns, while others include lost fingers. In 2011, four people died from fireworks-related incidents in the U.S. with one of those deaths here in North Dakota.

No one wants to cap off a Fourth of July celebration with a trip to the emergency room. Use the right precautions and you won’t have to.

Keep water handy when lighting fireworks and never allow young children to ignite or play with them.

Light one piece at a time and keep sparklers out of the hands of young children — they burn hot enough to cause severe burns.

Wear closed-toed shoes and never try to reignite a dud. Set off fireworks on a hard surface.

Close to 10,000 injuries a year are related to fireworks, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Enjoy the Fourth and the days leading up to it with family and friends, but use your best judgment as we celebrate this nation’s birth.

Happy Independence Day.

(Editorials are the opinion of Jamestown Sun management and the newspaper’s editorial board)

Tags: fourth of july, editorials, opinion, holidays