In addition to patriotic parades and neighborhood cookouts, Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with firework displays. While many communities stage their own shows, families may indulge in setting off fireworks. The goal is to do it safely and not have the results recorded in 2023: 9,700 injuries and 8 deaths counted in local emergency rooms.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the following 5 guidelines for safe fireworks usage on the Fourth of July:
- Never allow children to play with or set off fireworks
- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area
- Keep a bucket of water and garden hose available
- Ignite fireworks one at a time and back up quickly
- Never use fireworks if impaired by alcohol or drugs
The most commonly-injured body parts are in descending order: hands and fingers; the head, face and ears; eyes; the trunk; and legs. While kids love to play with sparklers, please be aware they can reach a temperature of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. According to CPSC, almost half the injuries treated in emergency rooms are related to burns.
We Want to Enhance Social Security
Additional retirement income provides a much-needed cushion. Here at Council of Seniors, we’re working tirelessly to get Congress to pass The SAVE Benefits Act. You need this legislation because the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) has short-changed you in recent years. If we succeed, the amount of $581 will be returned to eligible seniors.
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