Henderson Fire
The Dangers of Fireworks
Fireworks pose a higher risk of fire death than any other consumer product, based on the amount of time and the quantities in use. Although cigarettes are the leading cause of fire death, the risk that someone will die from fire when fireworks are being used is three times the corresponding risk when cigarettes are burning.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA and CDC):
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In 2007, 9,800 people were treated at hospital emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries - reported
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56% of 2007 fireworks injuries were to the extremities and 36% were to the head burns
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49% were burn injuries and 29% of the injuries were contusions or lacerations
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Two of five, that is 42% of people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15
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The risk of fireworks injury was two-and-a-half times as high for children ages 5-9 or 10-14 as for the general population
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900 home structure fires were caused by fireworks in 2006
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Males accounted for 70% of fireworks injuries in 2007
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Sparklers, fountains, and novelties alone account for 36% of the emergency room fireworks injuries in 2007
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92% of fireworks injuries were caused by "safe and sane" fireworks
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The largest numbers of fires associated with fireworks were grass fires (10,800 per year), brush fires (7,600), dumpster fires (2,900), unknown-type natural vegetation fires (2,300), and outside trash, rubbish, or waste fires (2,100)
In addition, 4th of July fireworks cause more outdoor fires in the United States than all other causes of outdoor fire combined. Because of the extreme, high fire danger in southern Nevada and continued drought conditions, extra caution is recommended.
Even “Safe and Sane” fireworks - including sparklers, fountains, snakes, party poppers, and ground spinners - cause nearly half of the emergency room fireworks injuries, according to the NFPA. Sparklers, which are considered by many to be harmless, reach temperatures of more than 1,200° F.
Pre-teens and teenagers face the highest risk of fireworks injuries, with 45% of the injuries incurred by those under age 15. The highest injury rate relative to population was for ages 5 to 9, with 8.9 times the risk for the entire population.