COLUMBUS – In 2010, 8,600 people were treated in emergency departments for firework-related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Fireworks Annual Report issued in 2011. An estimated 6,300 fireworks-related injuries, or 73 percent of people treated, occurred during the one-month period surrounding the Fourth of July Holiday. The part of the body most often injured were hands and fingers (estimated 1,900 injuries), legs (1,400 injuries), eyes (1,300 injuries), and the head, face, and ears (1,000 injuries). Some injuries even caused permanent vision loss.
The report also found that children under 15 years of age accounted for approximately 40 percent of the estimated injuries. And, children under the age of 5 experienced an estimated 700 injuries. For that specific age group, sparklers accounted for 43 percent of the total injuries. In fact, fireworks sometimes referred to as “safe and sane” including sparklers, fountains and other novelties, made up 2 out of 5 injuries treated in emergency rooms.
Because the eye is the third most frequently part of the body in a fireworks accident, Prevent Blindness Ohio warns:
• Fireworks are extremely dangerous.
• Do not purchase, use, or store fireworks or sparklers of any type.
• Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks and sparklers.
• Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators, but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous.
“Prevent Blindness Ohio supports a total BAN on backyard fireworks, including sparklers, which are widely available at grocery and department stores,” said Sherry Williams, President & CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio. “The Fourth of July should be a time when we come together to honor our country by celebrating our great nation safely and responsibly. We hope all Americans have a wonderful holiday with their loved ones, not in the emergency room.”
In the event of any eye-related accident, Prevent Blindness Ohio recommends the following:
If there are specks in the eye,
- DO NOT rub the eye.
- Use an eye wash or let tears wash out specks or particles;
- Lift the upper eyelid outward and down over the lower lid;
- If the speck doesn’t wash out, keep the eye closed, bandage and see a doctor or go to the emergency room.
If the eye or eyelid is cut or punctured,
- DO NOT wash out the eye with water.
- DO NOT try to remove an object stuck in the eye.
- Cover the eye with a rigid shield without pressure. The bottom half of a paper cup may be used. Visit a doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.
For more information on fireworks safety, please call Prevent Blindness Ohio at 800-301-2020 or pbohio.org.
Prevent Blindness Ohio is partnering with Child Injury Prevention Alliance, Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal and the Ohio Eye Care Coalition for their annual Fireworks Safety News Conference on Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 10am-11:00am at the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Ohio Fire Academy, 8895 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, 43068. The news conference will be held to caution and educate Ohioans about the dangers of backyard fireworks. The 2011 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission fireworks annual injury report will also be released at the news conference. For more information call Stacie Lehman at 800-301-2020, ext. 105 or email staciel@pbohio.org.
About Prevent Blindness Ohio
Prevent Blindness Ohio, founded in 1957, is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to prevent blindness and preserve sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 800,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. Prevent Blindness Ohio is an affiliate of Prevent Blindness America, the country’s second-oldest national voluntary health organization. For more information or to make a donation call 800-301-2020 or visit us on the web at pbohio.org.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
