Firecracker Sparkler Safety Tips

During the weeks surrounding the Fourth of July, school-age children suffer an estimated 1,900 fireworks-related burns and other injuries. One of the biggest culprits? Backyard sparklers. Some safety tips you need to keep in mind, and teach your kids:

• Never hold or light more than one sparkler at a time.

• Always hold the sparkler at arm's length from the body and stand at least six feet away from other people.

• Don't run with, throw, or hand a lit sparkler to someone else.

• The sticks stay hot after they're done burning, so keep a bucket of water nearby to douse them in (stepping on used sparklers is a major cause of burns).

• Closely supervise school-age kids while they use sparklers.

 

Wrriten by Jennifer Abbasi. A version of this post was originally published in the July 2011 issue of Parenting.