Gruesome Fireworks Accident: Use Common Sense this 4th of July

I am sure many of you have already heard, that a New York man blew his arm right off lighting fireworks yesterday.  It seems that just about every year we hear a tale of someone seriously maiming themselves with firecrackers. In most of these cases it is due to people performing stupid stunts with fireworks, rarely do those who use firecrackers with due caution and common sense get seriously injured from a firework.

The case of Eric Smith, the man in  NY who severed his arm with a firecracker is no exception.  Reportedly this unfortunate fellow was shooting fireworks out of a 3 foot mortar tube, at his Long Island home early last night.  When Smith leaned over and lit the firecracker, he didn’t get his left arm out of the way before it went off.  The explosion ripped the man’s left arm clean off.  The man’s  friends collected the arm and wrapped it in ice.  Doctor’s are trying to reattach the man’ arm.

My prayers are of course with this poor man, and his family, but take this unfortunate episode as a learning experience people.  If you contain an explosion into a small tube, you are creating a more powerful  missile, a weapon. Take heed and don’t follow his lead.

In my state, fireworks have been made legal once again, for the first time in decades. Like children who have been told “no” for too long, residents are going a bit overboard with them.  So far the only newsworthy incident occurred a couple weeks ago,  a group of young people lit of fireworks in their hotel room.  No serious injuries resulted, but it is a perfect example of stupidity with fireworks.

Don’t be a statistic use simple common sense when using fireworks. 

• Don’t let the drunk guy be the one lighting them off (the drunkest person is always the first to volunteer)
• Be organized.  Keep track of where all your fireworks are, and ensure they are clear of any fire source and children.
• Never relight a firework. 
• Don’t rig up fireworks to shoot out of tubes.
• Don’t fire them off of glass or metal containers.
• Keep your limbs and digits out of the line of fire, stand far back.
• Make sure to have water nearby, to douse “duds” and put out fires.
• Unless you are particularly savvy with fireworks usage, don’t try lighting more than one at a time.
• Don’t carry fireworks in your pocket.

Have a happy and fun Fourth of July, and let’s keep all our digits people.