Para muchos, las festividades del Día de la Emancipación y el 4 de julio son un hito del verano, y los fuegos artificiales suelen formar parte de las celebraciones. However, at-home fireworks can be dangerous for children and teens. More than 10,000 people are treated for fireworks injuries in emergency departments in the U.S. each year. De estas, casi un tercio son niños menores de 15 años.
The safest option is to skip fireworks at home and instead, watch a local firework show or celebrate without fireworks. If you choose to make fireworks part of your celebration, follow these firework safety tips from the Children's Health℠ Injury Prevention team to keep your family safe and injury-free.
6 fireworks safety tips
1. Purchase legal fireworks
Fireworks are illegal in many parts of Texas, including most major cities (unless you have a permit for a professional firework display).
If fireworks are legal in your area and you choose to use fireworks at home, only purchase legal fireworks from a reputable dealer. Evite los fuegos artificiales destinados a exhibiciones profesionales y nunca altere los productos. Read and carefully follow the instructions listed on the safety label to reduce your chances of fireworks injuries.
2. Never give young children fireworks
Nunca permita que los niños pequeños toquen ni enciendan fuegos artificiales. Mantenga a los niños al menos a 10 pies del área donde se encienden los fuegos artificiales. Even bottle rockets and sparklers can be dangerous for young children. Las bengalas parecen inofensivas, pero pueden alcanzar temperaturas de hasta 1,800 °F. As an alternative, give small kids glow sticks.
3. Handle fireworks with care
Never point fireworks at another person, carry fireworks in your pocket or wear loose clothing around fireworks. Make sure to pull back long hair before lighting fireworks.
If you are going to light a firework, make sure no one is in the immediate vicinity. It's also a good idea to keep fireworks a good distance away from plants, cars and other objects. If you are letting older children or teens handle fireworks, make sure they understand how to handle them safely and that you supervise them closely.
4. Have water at the ready
Keep a bucket of water nearby and/or a hose handy for emergencies and to soak your used fireworks before disposing of them in a trash can.
5. Never relight a firework that did not go off
If you lit a firework and it did not go off, wait at least 15 minutes and do not touch it or try to relight it. After 15 minutes, spray it with the hose or soak it in water and dispose of it in a trash can. Asegúrese de deshacerse de los fuegos artificiales no utilizados de la misma manera.
6. Skip the at-home fireworks
If you're worried about fireworks safety, the best thing to do is to skip the at-home fireworks altogether. Instead, consider taking your child to a local firework show or celebrating without fireworks.
If you decide to attend a local firework show, help young children understand what to expect. Let them know that there will be loud noises, bright lights and likely lots of people. This can help children, especially those who are sensitive to lights, sounds and crowds, be prepared.
El Consejo Nacional de Seguridad ofrece más consejos para mantener a su familia segura ante los fuegos artificiales.
What are the most common fireworks injuries?
Burns on the hands, fingers and arms are some of the most common fireworks injuries. They are frequently caused by holding a lit firework when it goes off. Las quemaduras también pueden ocurrir cuando las chispas de las bengalas vuelan y caen sobre la piel o la ropa. Pueden producirse lesiones oculares si el fuego artificial golpea a alguien en la cara o la cabeza.
¿Qué debo hacer si mi hijo se lesiona con un fuego artificial?
Puede tratar pequeños cortes o rasguños en su casa. Asegúrese de desinfectar la herida y cubrirla con un vendaje limpio. Para cualquier cosa más grave, incluidas quemaduras más grandes, esguinces, fracturas o sospechas de conmoción cerebral, asegúrese de llevar al niño al médico o al hospital de inmediato. En el caso de una lesión ocular, asegúrese de que el niño no toque ni frote la zona, ya que esto puede empeorar la lesión.
Obtener más información
Children's Health está junto a usted para mantener a su familia saludable y segura este verano. Vea más consejos de seguridad para el verano.
¡Gracias!
Ahora está suscrito al boletín familiar de Children's Health.
Children's Health no venderá, compartirá ni alquilará su información a terceros. Lea nuestra Política de privacidad.
