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A local physician gives advice on how to prevent serious bodily injury from fireworks and at what point you should seek medical care.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2022 over 10,000 people were treated for firework injuries, with 38% of these injuries being burn-related.
"Firework injuries typically are of the hands and face, neck and everything above the collarbone, that's what we see the majority of," explained Jeff Tyler, an emergency medicine physician assistant at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center.
Last year, 600 people were rushed to the ER for burns from sparklers, which burn at about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit--hot enough to melt some metals.
"I believe the most important thing is adult supervision," noted Tyler. "You're always watching your children, make sure that they're safe and that they're not mishandling the sparkler to cause those burns or injuries, and if they do get burned, immediately remove the firework to stop the burning and injury."
There are specific things to look for if an accident does happen, but it's also important to keep in mind what the next steps you should take in the event of an injury.
"When it comes to burns if it looks like a sunburn that we would get without blisters, you might able to handle that at the house, but if it starts to blister or its black, you need to go to the closest emergency department immediately for evaluation," Tyler explained.
In any case, preparation is key during celebrations with potentially dangerous equipment.
"A garden hose. a bucket of water, a fire extinguisher if needed. You have to plan ahead we don't want accidents but we want to plan ahead if one happens,” said Tyler.
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