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Firework-related injuries and deaths spiked by 50 percent last year amid lockdowns and stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report reveals.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that fatalities caused by fireworks increased from 12 in 2019 to 18 in 2020.
Additionally, injuries due to the pyrotechnics also jumped by around the same rate, from 10,000 in 2019 to 15,600 last year.
The CPSC says rise can blamed on the pandemic canceling many professional fireworks shows, leading to people instead celebrating events like the Fourth of July with at-home shows.
These do-it-yourself events, which are often run by amateurs who may or may not be intoxicated, caused hand and eye injuries, and sometimes even death.
Many Americans chose to hold Fourth of July celebrations at home last year as professional shows were cancelled due to the pandemic. This led to a 50 percent surge in firework injuries and deaths in 2020
‘These tragic deaths and injuries are reminders of just how dangerous fireworks can be,’ said CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Adler in a statement.
‘Consumers should enjoy professional fireworks displays from a distance, and be extra vigilant when using consumer-type fireworks.’
For the report, the CPSC collected data from news clippings and other sources in the agency’s Consumer Product Safety Risk Management System for the 2020 fiscal year.
Of the 18 people that died last year, nearly half of them – eight – had used drugs or alcohol prior to the incident.
Two-thirds of the deaths were the result of firework misuse and one was attributed to an electric match malfunction.
Meanwhile, when it comes to injuries, the biggest spike was among young people aged 20 to 24, with 17 out of every 100,000 reporting a firework injury, compared to only 2.8 out of 100,000 the year before – a 500 percent increase.
Teens aged 15 to 19 were second most likely to be hurt, with 6.1 out of 100,000 reporting firework related injuries.
People aged 20 to 24 were most likely to get injured. Hand injuries were the most common.
Hand injuries were the most common, accounting for 30 percent of those reported.
Head, face and ear injuries at 22 percent and eye injuries at 15 percent were the next most common injuries.
Holiday celebrations also led to a big jump in injuries.
About 66 percent of fireworks-related injuries in 2020 treated by an ER occurred between June 21 and July 21.
The CPSC recommends that people using fireworks over July 4 weekend do not use drugs or alcohol before handling fireworks, stay far away from lit fireworks, not letting children play with them and never pointing fireworks at another person.
As the country reopens this year, many professional firework shows will return, potentially reducing injury rates to normal levels
The agency also recommend keeping a bucket of water or hose handy incase any mishaps cause a fire.
Physicians advise people to wear safety glasses to protect their eyes while using fireworks, which could prevent a majority of eye injuries.
With the pandemic dying down in some regions, and many parts of America already reopen, professional firework shows will return this weekend across the country.
Many Americans will gather to watch expert-handled shows from afar this year rather than using fireworks themselves this time around, which could lead to a decrease in injuries.
Sales of fireworks have surged across the country, though, meaning that many still plan to hold armature celebrations at home.
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