Cleveland - Phantom Fireworks has put out some tips in hopes everyone has an enjoyable and safe family Independence Day celebration. If you plan to use consumer fireworks, please use them safely. Phantom’s primary safety tips are:
Use Basic Common Sense - The fireworks products burn hot & produce fire and sparks when functioning. People must respect the products for that fact and handle the products with extreme care and caution.
Only Adults Should Handle the Fireworks - (1) Children should never be permitted to handle fireworks products. (2) A designated shooter (a sober, responsible adult), like a designated driver, should be the one in charge of the fireworks to handle and ignite them.
Safe launch area - (1) A safe, clear distance of at least 35 feet for ground-based products and at least 150 feet for aerial products must be maintained between the launch site and any spectators or inhabited buildings. (2) The actual launch site should be hard, flat and clear of combustible material.
Water source - (1) You should always have a ready source of water available in case of emergency. A connected hose is best. If a hose is unavailable, have at a minimum a good fire extinguisher or at the very least, a bucket of water. (2) Someone should be assigned as the fireman - someone specifically responsible for visually following the projectiles to the ground to make sure nothing comes down hot and starts a fire. The fireman should immediately tend to any area that presents a danger.
For a complete list of all the safety tips, please visit www.fireworks.com.
Phantom Fireworks advises everyone to follow the safety rules and obey the fireworks laws where you are using them. Following the safety rules has had a major impact on the reduction of fireworks-related injuries. Over the last 25 years, the amount of fireworks imported into the U.S. has gone up 137%; from 117 million pounds in 1994 to 277.5 million pounds in 2018.
During the same period, the fireworks-related injuries per 100,000 pounds of fireworks used has dropped more than 70%; from 10.7 in 1994 to 3.2 in 2018. The volume of fireworks up dramatically over 25 years, and the fireworks-related injuries even more dramatically down over the same period.
Just a friendly reminder to follow the tips above and stay safe this Fourth of July.
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