Have a Blast with Fireworks

Much of the excitement of Independence Day is the rockets' red glare, especially for kids. But those bombs bursting in air can and do injure people, especially kids. In 2008 alone, there were 7,000 fireworks injuries reported. Nearly half of those casualties were children. No wonder they're illegal in a lot of states. It's best to leave the pyrotechnics to professionals, but if you choose to light your own fireworks, there are a few guidelines that you should follow. To avoid injuries, never allow children to hold or light fireworks, not even those seemingly harmless sparklers, which can reach temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees! A stray spark can light clothing and hair on fire, so it's best not to allow kids to hold or light them. Sparklers were responsible for 10 percent of fireworks injuries overall, and half of those younger than 5 were injured by sparklers.