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Prevent Blindness Declares June 28 to July 4 Fireworks Safety Awareness Week

Prevent Blindness has declared June 28 to July 4 as the fourth annual Fireworks Safety Awareness Week to educate the public on the dangers of fireworks.

Eyecare Business June 26, 2024

June 26, 2024 — Prevent Blindness has declared June 28 to July 4 as the fourth annual Fireworks Safety Awareness Week to educate the public on the dangers of fireworks. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) 2023 Fireworks Annual Report stated that fireworks were involved in an estimated 6,400 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments from June 16 to July 16, 2023.

The CPSC also reported eight nonoccupational, fireworks-related deaths in 2023. Five of the deaths were due to firework misuse, two were linked to device malfunctions, and the cause of one incident is unknown.

Key findings from the CPSC 2023 Fireworks Annual Report include:

  • Hands and fingers were the most frequently injured body parts (35%); followed by the head, face, and ears (22%); eyes (19%), other regions (11%); legs (8%); and arms (5%).
  • Burns accounted for 42% of emergency department-treated injuries and were the most common injury to hands and fingers; head, face, and ears; arms; and legs.
  • Of the 1,200 reported eye injuries, 400 were contusions/lacerations, 200 were burns, and 600 were classified as “other.”
  • Firecrackers were associated with an estimated 800 injuries, and sparklers were associated with 700 injuries.
  • Victims aged 15 to 19 had the highest rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries, followed by children aged 5 to 9.

Prevent Blindness offers educational resources on the dangers of fireworks, including a dedicated webpage with downloadable fact sheets and social media graphics. The organization also provides creative alternatives for celebrating without fireworks.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that 65% of people injured by fireworks are bystanders, emphasizing the importance of caution even during professional displays.

“The Fourth of July should be a day spent celebrating with family and friends, not in an emergency room,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “Leave the fireworks to the professionals, and stay vigilant, even during authorized fireworks displays.”