Independence day and fireworks and BBQ safety
It’s nearly the fourth, and everyone is busy with last minute grocery shopping, fireworks buying, and BBQ preparations. But before you fire up that grill and start lighting those fireworks, it’s worth taking a minute to ensure everything will be done safely. Fireworks alone are responsible for a dizzying amount of damage each year, so it’s smart to read up on safe fireworks use and fireworks waste disposal. Check out these alarming statistics from the National Fire Prevention association:
“Fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires per year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and 16,900 outside and other fires. These fires caused an average of three deaths, 40 civilian injuries, and an average of $43 million in direct property damage.” (1)
Let’s take a look at some tips for using and disposing of fireworks safely:
- Before you start lighting your fireworks, make sure you have plenty of fire suppression capability on hand. Hoses, buckets of water, and fire extinguishers are best, but buckets or bags of sand, dirt or mud can be useful too.
- Dedicate one bucket to fireworks disposal. After you’ve used the fireworks, submerge and soak them for a minimum of 15 minutes. Soaking overnight is best of possible. Embers can continue burning deep inside fireworks long after they’ve been lit, creating a potentially dangerous situation if they’re not soaked.
- Be particularly careful with any misfired, dud, or partially fired fireworks. This is the most involved fireworks disposal procedure. Do not approach or handle dud fireworks for at least 20 minutes after lighting. Once it’s safe to approach, soak the duds thoroughly. Then, wrap the soaked fireworks in plastic wrap or a garbage bag before disposal. This step is important because if the dud fireworks are allowed to dry out, they will be a very serious fire hazard.
Check back soon for Happy Independence Day! Learn more about safe fireworks waste disposal and BBQ ash disposal to stay safe this Fourth – Part 2
Source cited:
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Seasonal-fires/Fireworks
