Concerns over firework-related injuries grow ahead of holiday weekend

On average, nearly 200 people go to the emergency room every day with a fireworks-related injury in the month around the July Fourth holiday in the U.S.

News 12 Staff

Jul 3, 2020, 11:20 AM

Updated 1,484 days ago

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Doctors are warning people to think twice before staging their own fireworks display this Fourth of July.
Hospitals like Westchester Medical Center say it always sees more patients over Independence Day weekend, but the lack of public fireworks shows is making doctors nervous.
Communities all across Westchester are shelving the fireworks this weekend to avoid having large crowds and risk spreading coronavirus.

As a result, there has seemingly been an uptick in amateur displays, with police cracking down on them.

On average, nearly 200 people go to the emergency room every day with a fireworks-related injury in the month around the July Fourth holiday in the U.S.

Doctors worry numbers will be up this year. with more people attempting to use fireworks on their own.
Besides being illegal in New York, doctors say fireworks are just dangerous if you're not trained. They recommend avoiding it all together, but remember to call 911 immediately after suffering a major burn, cut or limb loss.
Even small sparklers, which seem harmless, can burn up around 2,000 degrees, according to experts.


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