With the Fourth of July just a corner away, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) is stepping up its campaign to educate the public on the importance of fireworks safety and the dos and don'ts of holiday grilling. In an announcement made earlier today, the MDFR underscored how fireworks, while a hallmark of Independence Day celebrations, bring a significant risk of injury and property damage, citing statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that estimate an alarming 10,000 fireworks-related injuries each year, and nearly half of these being children under 15.
While the spectacle of fireworks can dazzle and delight, the dangers they pose, especially to kids aged 5 to 14 years, is at the heart of MDFR's concerns and the message is clear: leave the pyrotechnics to the pros as they call for keeping celebrations both fun and intact, injuries to hands and fingers are most common and the roughly 20,000 fires caused by fireworks lead to over $100 million in damages annually, according to a statement obtained by Miami-Dade County.
The MDFR doesn't stop at cautionary numbers; they have laid out a comprehensive list of safety tips such as purchasing from approved vendors, lighting one firework at a time, and wearing safety goggles to avoid fireworks-related accidents. They also recommend keeping a close eye on children during celebrations and considering safer alternatives like glow sticks instead of risk-laden sparklers, which can burn at temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
As part of the same campaign, the dangers of grilling are also being spotlighted, with the NFPA highlighting that July is the leading month for grilling fires and thermal burns being the most common injury with over 9,000 reported, statistics show that the simplest of precautions, like never leaving a burning grill unattended and keeping grills clean, can make all the difference in preventing over 10,000 home grill fires and the nearly 19,000 injuries they cause annually, as mentioned in the Miami-Dade County press release.
The emphasis is also on maintaining a safe environment around grills by placing them on leveled surfaces, checking for gas leaks, and always having an extinguishing agent like an ABC-rated fire extinguisher or water source at hand. For further safety guidelines and tips on a secure Fourth of July celebration, the public can contact MDFR’s Media and Public Relations Bureau.
