Last year, fireworks sent more than 200 people to emergency rooms in Washington state.
Since those numbers are very concerning, Harborview Medical Center told KIRO 7 they're adding extra staff between now and the Fourth of July.
Here’s something to keep in mind: Eye injuries have doubled over the years because of fireworks.
Unless it's a professionally run display, fireworks are illegal in the city of Seattle.
And that makes this a challenging time of the year for fire Chief Harold Scoggins and the Seattle Fire Department. Last year, the Seattle Fire Department responded to over 100 fireworks-related incidents.
"Our goal is to reduce that if not completely prevent that,” said Scoggins. “What our ask is of the community this year -- if you see something, say something."
Dr. Michael Sayre, who is the medical director of the Seattle Fire Department and an emergency physician at Harborview Medical Center, said they're seeing a large number of patients in the emergency room because of eye injuries caused by fireworks every year.
"This could be the little debris that just gets in the air and causes burns,” said Sayre. “Or it can be more serious type injuries from the actual explosion that can even result in people permanently losing their vision.”
Before you celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, Scoggins wants you to remember this:
"We know how one fire can really change someone’s circumstance [and even] someone’s life or someone’s future,” said Scoggins. “And that's what we're trying to prevent."
The Seattle Fire Department will have units out and about on the Fourth of July to keep you and your family safe.
More news from KIRO 7
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- Where you can and can't set off fireworks, 2018
- 3 children killed in fiery Auburn crash
- City Light makes $5M mistake as part of budget overrun
- Seattle's illegal homeless encampments: a Q-and-A on the city's response
- Sasquatch Music Festival shuts down, no 2019 concert
Cox Media Group
