Celebrating the birth of our nation is a riotous experience, full of food, fireworks, and friends. Unfortunately, it can quickly turn from a fun party to a day at the emergency room. During your holiday celebrations this year, we advise you to be careful to avoid any 4th of July emergencies.

Statistics about 4th of July Emergencies

The average daily summer number of U.S. emergency room visits is about 40,700. That number increases at either end of the season, about 41,900 over Memorial Day weekend and 42,200 around Labor Day. Still, these numbers are nothing when compared to the nearly 91,000 visits to emergency rooms for treatment of injuries over July 4–5.

The biggest culprit for 4th of July emergencies comes as no surprise: fireworks. In general, the fiery explosives rank relatively low (196th) on the list of contributors of injuries resulting in ER visits, but during the first eight days of July, they rank 16th, amounting to 4,900 in 2018. Young people and males are most closely associated with 4th of July emergencies resulting in fireworks-related injuries. Statistically, about two thirds of all such injuries involve people under the age of 30, and two thirds of fireworks-related injuries involve males. The intersection of these statistics is 37% of firework injury cases involving boys and men under the age of 30.

Unsurprisingly, heat burns account for the majority of fireworks-related injuries (38%), followed by bruises and abrasions (19%) and cuts (15%). Eyes are the most commonly affected, accounting for one-in-six fireworks-related injuries (16.6%). Faces (13.7%), hands (11.8%), and fingers (11.5%) are also high-risk.

Safety Tips to Avoid Independence Day Injuries

While we don’t want to quell anyone’s fun, wise management of Independence Day celebrations can prolong the fun and keep everyone safe. Wise behavior can make all the difference between a party and 4th of July emergencies.

Fireworks

If you want to avoid a visit to the emergency department as part of your Independence Day celebrations, remain alert during the fiery festivities. Keep a wise distance from lit fireworks and absolutely never point a firework at another person. Cherry bombs and roman candles are aparently very tempting to wave in another person’s direction, but avoid the temptation. Avoiding horseplay in general around fireworks can limit the risk of 4th of July emergencies.

While lighting off fireworks, keep pets secured or in a safe place and supervise children closely. Sparklers especially are associated with child injuries during the holiday. Keep a bucket of cool water and, if possible, a fire extinguisher on hand during the fun just in case, and soak spent fireworks thoroughly. If you really want to avoid burns of the hands and arms, you may even consider wearing gloves when handling fireworks.

Food Poisoning

Be wise during food preparation to avoid food poisoning. When the holiday feasts have ended, put perishable foods away quickly, especially chicken and potato salads that contain mayonnaise. Do not allow such foods to sit out for people to casually snack on later. The look or smell of foods is not necessarily indicative of bacterial contamination, so even if something smells fine, do not assume it is safe to eat. 

Dehydration or Sunstroke

Whether you are out on the lake or street-side watching the morning parade, be mindful of too much sun during your holiday fun. Drink water consistently, keeping plenty of it on hand. To avoid sunburn, wear sunscreen of a sufficient SPF value. Keeping to the shade as much as possible will not only help you remain cooler, but will also protect you from too much sun exposure.

Alcohol Consumption

Be wise in your holiday alcohol consumption. Be conscious of the amounts you drink and what you do when there is alcohol in your system. Do not drink and operate cars, boats, or other vehicles. The number of vehicular accidents increases dramatically during the holiday weekend, so even if your BAC is low, remain alert as others’ may not be.

What to do in the Case of an Injury

If you or someone in your party sustains 4th of July emergencies, seek emergency care. While avoidance is always the better option and emergency departments have their hands full over the holiday, it is better to err on the side of caution if you are injured. The severity of burns is not always immediately apparent, so call or come in and allow a triage nurse to assess what care needs to be applied.