Fourth of July is the time of year when everyone gets the itch to shoot off fireworks, but each year, there are more and more injuries from improperly handling fireworks. Here are some safety tips to make your Fourth of July experience more fun and less dangerous:

Keeping the Family Safe

Never let small children hold or play with fireworks. A very popular firework for small kids is sparklers, thought to be the safest of fireworks, but they are far from it.  Children should always be supervised when using sparklers so they do not burn their clothes or skin. A responsible adult should always supervise older children.

Can I Light Fireworks in My City?

Be sure to call your local police department to find out if it is legal to light off certain fireworks and where you’re allowed to do it on the Fourth of July. Check out the FAQs from the city of Kansas City, Missouri. There are some fireworks that are illegal such as M-80’s and M-100’s. To prevent from buying illegal fireworks purchase them from a reputable seller. Never try to build your own explosives.

General Safety Tips

Fireworks should always be lit outdoors, away from buildings, cars or dry grass and leaves. As an added safety measure you should have a bucket of water and a garden hose nearby. Make sure that if multiple people are lighting fireworks, only one firework is lit at a time. Have a specific area to light fireworks and keep all other firecrackers away from that area until they are ready to be lit. Lastly, never attempt to re-light a dud firework. Submerge the firework in water and then dispose of it.

Clean-up

When you’re done lighting all fireworks, dunk all used firework remnants in water, or spray down with a hose, before throwing them away. Any unused fireworks should be stored in a cool, dry place, or in the specified way described in the instructions.

Enjoy your Fourth of July holiday and put these safety tips to good use!