Fireworks Safety: What 23 Years on the Rig Taught Me About the 4th of July

The 4th of July is one of my favorite shifts to work. The pace, the purpose, the energy of the night — there's nothing else like it. But I'll tell you what else it is: one of the busiest nights of the year for EMS. And most of what we see is preventable.

Last year, fireworks sent 14,700 people to the emergency room — a 52% jump from 2023, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Sparklers alone accounted for about 1,700 of those visits. Burns were the most common injury at 37% of ER trips, and hands and fingers were the most frequently injured body part at 36%, followed by the head, face, and ears at 22%.

Those aren't freak accidents. They happen every single year, to well-meaning people who just wanted to celebrate. So before I talk about what's in my kit, let me talk about what keeps you out of mine.

PREVENTION COMES FIRST

The honest truth — and every safety authority agrees — is that the safest fireworks show is a professional one. If you're watching the pros, stand back at least 500 feet. If you're lighting your own where it's legal, a few rules cover most of the danger:

• Never let kids handle fireworks. That includes sparklers. They burn at around 2,000°F — hot enough to melt some metals. A sparkler is not a toy.
• Never pick up a "dud." If a firework doesn't go off, don't go back to it and don't relight it. Soak it in water and throw it away.
• Keep water nearby — a bucket or a hose, every time.
• Never light with any part of your body over the firework.

PROTECT YOUR EYES

This one matters to me, because eye injuries are some of the most devastating and some of the most preventable. Over 90% of fireworks eye injuries can be prevented with proper eyewear. I'm talking about ANSI Z87-rated safety glasses — not sunglasses, not regular glasses. And here's the part people miss: 65% of fireworks eye-injury victims are bystanders. So if you're handing out eye protection, everyone watching needs a pair too, not just the person lighting the fuse.

And if an eye does get hit, do not treat it yourself. Don't rub it. Don't rinse it. Don't try to pull anything out. Shield the eye with a cup or something that won't touch it, and get to the ER immediately. Rinses and drops can make it worse. This is a "protect and go" situation, not a "fix it on scene" one.

FOR THE INJURIES THAT STILL GET THROUGH

Prevention handles most of it. But I build kits for reality, and reality is that some injuries still happen. Here's what I'd reach for.

Burns — the number one injury. Cool it with running water for 20 minutes, not ice. Ice restricts blood flow and can make the damage worse. Cover it loosely, and don't pop the blisters — that blister is a natural barrier against infection. Once the burn is cooled, the Module 2 Irrigation & Wound Prep has the sterile gauze and irrigation solution to clean and cover it.

Cuts and scrapes. Hands and fingers take the worst of it, and most of those wounds are minor — a cut, a scrape, a small laceration. Clean it, close it, cover it. The Module 3 Wound Closure & Minor Trauma carries the bandages and closure strips to handle exactly that.

Heat and dehydration. It's easy to forget on a day full of fireworks, but a full day in the summer sun adds up. By the time you feel thirsty, you're already behind. The Module 4 Medication & Hydration carries oral rehydration salts — electrolytes, not just water.

ENJOY IT. JUST BE SMART.

I love this holiday. I want you to enjoy every minute of it. Prevent what you can, and be ready for the rest. That's the whole job.

Paramedic-Built. Ready for Everyone.