Overview

• Firework accidents totaled 14,700 emergency visits last year, a 52% year-over-year increase that has prompted intensified public safety campaigns.
• Medical leaders have consolidated prevention and first-response advice, instructing individuals to stop, drop and roll, cool burns with running water or a wet cloth, and avoid icing injuries.
• A recent Hollywood, Florida grill explosion highlighted the need to start gas grills with covers open, regularly inspect for propane leaks, and refrain from using alcohol while grilling.
• Officials report that over one-third of firework burns affect hands and fingers and recommend professional displays and propane alarm use to minimize risks.
• In water emergencies, bystanders should immobilize victims on their backs, clear fluid from airways, and perform chest-compression-only CPR until EMS arrives.