Have a Blast with Fireworks Much of the excitement of
Independence Day is the rockets' red glare, especially for kids.
But those bombs bursting in air can and do injure people,
especially kids. In 2008 alone, there were 7,000 fireworks
injuries reported. Nearly half of those casualties were
children. No wonder they're illegal in a lot of states. It's
best to leave the pyrotechnics to professionals, but if you
choose to light your own fireworks, there are a few guidelines
that you should follow. To avoid injuries, never allow children
to hold or light fireworks, not even those seemingly harmless
sparklers, which can reach temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees!
A stray spark can light clothing and hair on fire, so it's best
not to allow kids to hold or light them. Sparklers were
responsible for 10 percent of fireworks injuries overall, and
half of those younger than 5 were injured by sparklers.