Fireworks and 4th of July: Experts share growing safety concerns

As the July 4th holiday weekend approaches, there are growing safety concerns of at-home use of fireworks by both experts and officials as many major firework shows are canceled due to COVID-19.

BETTER CHANCE ATRECOVERY.FIREWORKS HAVEBEEN GOING OFF INNEIGHBORHOODS ALLOVER WESTERN NEWYORK FOR WEEKS.MOST OF THEM AREILLEGAL -- BUT SOMEARE O-K.NIKKI DEMENTRI HSOME HELPFUL HINTSFROM EXPERTS ONHOW YOU CANCELEBRATE THEFOURTH OF JULYSAFELY.ACCORDINGNATIONAL DATA, 10-THOUSAND PEOPLEWENT TO THEEMERGENCY ROOMFOR A FIREWORKS-RELATED INJURY LASTYEAR.73-PERCENT OF THEMHAPPENED AROUNDTHE FOURTH OF JULY."THERE'S REALLY NOWAY TO SAY YOU CANBE SAFE WITHFIREWORKS, WHICH ISWHY WE ALWAYSSTART THECONVERSATION WITHYOU GOTTA LEAVE ITTO THEPROFESSIONALS."EXPERTS SAY TOLEAVE FIREWORKS TOTHE PROFESSIONALS.BUT COVID-19 HASCANCELED MANYSHOWS.THOSE SAME EXPERTSSAY THERE ARE STILLALTERNATIVES."LET THEPROFESSIONALS DOTHE FIREWORKS ANDNOW JUST WATCHTHEM ON T-V."AS GOVERNORANDREW CUOMOSTATED MONDAYAND I WANT TO REMINDNEW YORKERS THATFIREWORKS AREDANGEROUS ANDILLEGAL."BUT SPARKLINGDEVICES AREALLOWED TO BE SOLDAND USED UNDERSTATE LAW.SPARKLER NATS"THERE'S NO GOODWAY TO BE SAFE WITHA SPARKLER BECAUSEYOU'RE BASICALLYPUTTING SOMETHING INTHE HANDS OF A CHILDTHAT HAS THEPOTENTIAL TO BURNTHEM.YOU'RETALKING ABOUT THEKIND OFTEMPERATURES YOUWOULD GET FROM THETIP OF A WELDINGIRON."THE EXPERTS ALSOAGREE -- CHILDRENSHOULD NEVER BEAROUND ANY TYPE OFFIREWORKS."I USUALLY LIKE TOPROMOTE THE GLOWSTICKS BECAUSE THEKIDS ARE JUST ASFASCINATED WITH THEGLOW STICKS AND CANHAVE A LOT OF FUNWITH THOSE.""OBVIOUSLY 2020 HASBEEN AN UNKNOWNFOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,SO IT'LL BE, WE'LL JUSTREMAIN VIGILANT.

BEPREPARED TO HANDLEANY CALLS THAT COMEIN AND RESPOND TOTHEM ACCORDINGLY.A-M-R WESTERN NEWYORK ALSO HAS MOREADVICE -- INCLUDING:1KEEP WATER CLOSEBY IN CASE OF ANACCIDENT2NEVER THROW, POINTOR AIM FIREWORKS ATPEOPLE, VEHICLES,STRUCTURES ORANIMALS3WEAR EYEPROTECTION"PLEASE JUST ADHERETO THE LAWS ANDMAINTAIN ALL SAFETYMEASURES ASPOSSIBLE."THE EXPERTS WESPOKE AGREE IF AFIREWORKS- INJURYDOES HAPPEN, HEADIMMEDIATELY TO THEEMERGENCY ROOM.ND, 7EWN.POSSIBLE."THE EXPERTS WESPOKE AGREE IF AFIREWORKS- INJURY