Police, hospital officials stress fireworks safety

Fireworks stir the American imagination.

You’ve probably begun to hear them around town.

‘Tis the season.

Fireworks are a deep-seated element of our national imagery: Stadiums rise to sing of the rocket’s red glare and bombs bursting in air. Pyrotechnic proof, the song says, that the flag — and the ideals it represents — are still here.

Symbolism is one thing. Practically speaking, however, fireworks do have a downside: They’re dangerous and potentially deadly.

Emergency rooms treat about 5,600 firework-related injuries between June 22 and July 22, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It’s hardly a surprise that half of the annual total of fireworks injuries are in the same month as the Fourth of July.

It might be a little surprising, however, that it’s not just men who are injured: More than a third are female.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges parents not to allow fireworks, but if they are used, it also urges parents to supervise children.

Wendy Ferguson is a nurse at Kootenai Health who serves as the hospital’s injury-prevention coordinator. She advises being strict: Don’t allow children to handle any fireworks, period.

Not even sparklers.

“One thing to point out on sparklers is that they burn at an incredibly high temperature,” Ferguson said. “Right around 2,000 degrees, and they can ignite clothing.”

It’s the kids who aren’t quite ready for the responsibility of fireworks who get hurt the most: Children between 10 and 14 are the most likely to be treated for fireworks-related injuries. That’s about 5.2 injuries per 100,000 children. Older teens fared significantly better: Kids age 15 to 19 have an incidence rate of 3.1 per 100,000, more than 40 percent lower than their younger siblings.

Coeur d’Alene Police Capt. David Hagar didn’t have an exact number of fireworks-related injuries — most go unreported to law enforcement — though he said officers always see a large increase in fireworks injuries during the holiday.

The city is concerned about more than injuries, he said. Another concern is that fireworks can ignite trees, which can lead to wildfires.

Hands and fingers bear the brunt of fireworks damage: They’re the most common injury, at about 28 percent. Leg injuries were not quite 25 percent of the total.

Hagar said the most common accident in Coeur d’Alene during the Fourth of July stems from discarded fireworks that light trash can contents aflame.

“A great prevention tip is soaking used fireworks in a bucket of water a few hours before discarding, or keeping a bucket or hose nearby [the trash can],” Ferguson said.

The city code prohibits fireworks on public property in its limits, unless authorized by police as part of a sanctioned public display.

The use of fireworks in any city owned or operated park, beach, dock or parking lot is unlawful.

To be clear, that includes: Tubbs Hill, City Park, City Beach, Jewett House Beach, Independence Point, Memorial Field, Veterans Memorial, McEuen Park, Harbor Center and Ramsey and Northshire parks.

Using fireworks in those places is a misdemeanor that can be punished by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 100 days in jail.

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department encourages residents to ensure pets are safe and comfortable during loud holiday festivities.

“A normal fence that’s going to keep your dog in every other 364 days of the year ... when they get stressed because of the loud bangs they find ways to get through it,” Hagar said. “We encourage people to make sure that they have tags on their pets and, if they can, bring their pets inside. Put them in a crate or a kennel somewhere, keep them with the family, keep some music going to ease their anxiety a little bit.”

The best safety option? Leave it to the experts.

“Grab a chair, a nice place to sit and a great view and enjoy the show from a distance,” Ferguson said.

The annual lakefront fireworks show will begin at dusk on Thursday, around 9:30-10 p.m., and will last about 20 minutes.