Everyone knows that Independence Day is one of our country’s most cherished holidays, full of family and friends, cookouts and, of course, fireworks! It’s that one time of year when you can go out to the driveway and light off cherry bombs without your neighbors getting mad, so you want to make the most of it, and we here at Restoration Now! Omaha can definitely get behind that.
At the same time, though, July 4th turns out to be not so fun for many people every year. Here’s the deal—there are over 30,000 fires, 7,000 injuries, and $34 million in property damage caused by fireworks each year. Those are huge numbers, and a lot of those fire damage accidents could be avoided by following a few simple and common sense rules. Our fire damage restoration team at Restoration Now! Omaha are all about having a good time this July 4th, but we also want to make sure we do our part to lower those statistics by providing you with some tips to make good decisions with fireworks!
1. Use Fireworks Outdoors ONLY
It seems like this would go without saying, but we’ll go ahead and mention it anyway. If you’re trying to light your house on fire, there’s no better way than by using fireworks indoors. On a broader note, only use fireworks as they’re intended, and follow all the directions that come with them.
2. Keep Water Handy at All Times
It’s good practice to keep a hose and bucket of water at the ready, just in case something happens that you don’t expect! Anything could happen at any time, and you need a way to douse any out-of-control flames quickly to prevent fire damage.
3. NEVER Try to Relight a Dud
This is the quickest way to sustain a terrible injury on the 4th of July. Dud fireworks are dangerous, plain and simple, and you should exercise the utmost caution when approaching them. The best thing to do is wait 20 minutes to make sure it won’t ignite, then soak the dud in a bucket of water.
4. Alcohol and Fireworks Don’t Mix
If you’ve had a few (or a few too many), put down that lighter and leave the fireworks to the non-inebriated. We all know that alcohol can sometimes lead to bad decisions, and there’s no worse time to make a bad decision than when you’re holding a lit bottle rocket.
5. Sparklers Aren’t for Kids
Did you know that sparklers can burn at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit? That’s as hot as molten lava, and we’re sure you wouldn’t let your kids touch that! Small children aren’t known for being the most dexterous or coordinated bunch, so if you have little ones that want to join in the festivities, it’s better to just have them watch the adults for now.
6. Pick Your Location Wisely
Here are some places you definitely SHOULD NOT pick to light off your fireworks this year:
- Right next to your house
- Right under a tree or some power lines
- In a field of crisp, dry grass
- Next to Harriett, your pet turtle (she scares easy)
- On a hillside overlooking a munitions factory
- Your neighborhood gas station
We’re trying to be funny here, but we hope you get the point. Fireworks produce flames, so you need to keep them away from other things that catch fire to prevent fire damage. Make sure that you only light off fireworks in flat, preferably paved areas far away from houses with nothing overhead that could get in the way.
Contact Restoration Now! Omaha Today at (402) 502-7277
Our fire damage restoration team here at Restoration Now! Omaha hope you learned something about being safe with fireworks this year! We want you to have a great time this 4th of July, and being careful with your fireworks is the first step to reducing the number of accidents and instances of property damage that come with them. If you find yourself with a fire damage situation this Independence Day, we want you to know that you don’t have to deal with it alone. Call our fire damage restoration experts any time at (402) 502-7277 for 24/7 emergency services!