As many South Floridians will be enjoying the July 4th holiday with food, fun and – in some cases, fireworks – officials are continuing to urge everyone to celebrate safely and not risk their health or body for a few seconds of fun.
Officials have been going across the area to fireworks stands in an effort to make sure that illegal – and potentially deadly – fireworks don’t fall into the hands of those who aren’t trained professionals. Illegal fireworks are defined as anything that flies, as well as bottle and sky rockets.
Even with legal items, danger is around as sparklers can reach nearly 1,200 degrees at the tip – hot enough to cause severe burns or permanent disfigurement. The warnings come after a 25-year-old was hospitalized in Fort Lauderdale after losing part of his hand while playing with fireworks.
Setting off fireworks outside your home can also be dangerous when it comes to the area around you – as an average of 20,000 reported fires are caused annually by fireworks, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
