SEATTLE — As of 11:30 a.m. today, clinicians and doctors at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle have treated 21 people with fireworks-caused injuries this week.
According to Harborview, nine of those injuries were to the hands (presumably burns). Three people had eye injuries, and nine others had injuries to their bodies-- seven of which were in “multiple” areas.
The extent of these injuries is unknown at this time.
UW Medicine will have an update on Harborview’s firework-related injuries tomorrow at noon.
Local fireworks laws vary by city and county. KIRO 7 has compiled a list of regulations per jurisdiction here.
If fireworks are legal in your area, here are some safety tips from the National Safety Council (NSC):
- Never allow young children to handle fireworks
- Older children should use them only under close adult supervision
- Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol
- Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear
- Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands
- Never light them indoors
- Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person
- Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting
- Never ignite devices in a container
- Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks
- Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding
- Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire
- Never use illegal fireworks
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