It’s the Fourth of July, American Independence Day, a holiday where Americans buy nearly $1 billion worth of fireworks (literally tens of thousands of tons of explosive material) to light up the night sky in a celebration-slash-commemoration of the firearms our colonizers gleefully discharged in open revolt against the Brits who first sent them there.
While our resentments against the British have (mostly) receded, the danger of explosives hasn’t entirely. That’s why the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently released this literally head-exploding video demonstrating the numerous ways that fireworks can blow your brain, children and limbs to bits.
Luckily, the video uses mannequins, but it gets its message across quite vividly.
They’ve even published this following list of helpful firework safety tips:
– Never allow young children to play with, or ignite, fireworks, including sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit—hot enough to melt some metals.
– Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap.
– Light fireworks one at a time, then move away quickly.
– Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
– Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Move to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
– Never point or throw fireworks (including sparklers) at anyone.
– After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device to prevent a trash fire.
– Make sure fireworks are legal in your area, and only purchase fireworks that are labeled for consumer (not professional) use.
Happy Fourth, everyone!