Minnesota Physicians Urging Safe Fireworks Practices

Too many people are lighting or using fireworks wrong or lighting them off in an unsafe way while drinking or not providing enough room for them.

According to a press release MMA (Minnesota Medical Association) want people to stay away from fireworks, but says they can't stop them. So they are urging safety first before they end up in emergency rooms because of fireworks-related injuries. Most injuries are from unsupervised lighting or unsafe conditions. They say, leave it to the people that are trained to deal with the fireworks.

The MMA said on their web page, over 9100 injuries were treated in 2018 alone with fireworks injuries to all body parts. Some of it for people using fireworks not for the way they were intended. Most for hands and fingers. The worst happened to the head and eyes.

The MMA said if you are going to purchase your own fireworks, here's some ways to keep it safe.

• Have one person be the one who is overseeing the process.
• Make sure you keep plenty of room in order to accommodate the space for the fireworks to do their thing.
• Ask questions of the people selling the items to be familiar with what it does.
• Don't buy it from a person that sells their products under the radar or not available to the general public.
• Try and purchase in your home state or region.

Even firecrackers can be dangerous. Light them and walk away don't hold them. I don't know if you remember Jason Pierre-Paul from the New York Giants. He injured his fingers with a firecracker in 2018, now he is a spokesperson for safe use of fireworks.

The MMA goes on to say in a press release that they are afraid of too many people trying to put on their own show because so many towns are canceling or postponing their 4th Of July celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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