With the Fourth of July holiday approaching, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue, along with BSO’s Bomb Squad, will demonstrate the dangers of fireworks and the destruction they can cause.
The media demonstration at the Broward Fire Academy will feature the explosive hazards of illegal fireworks and improperly used legal sparklers and the safety risks that can result in injury, fires and even death. Mannequins and melons will be used as subjects for the demonstration.
In Florida, there are few legal consumer fireworks. Included are sparklers, which can reach temperatures of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit at the tip – hot enough to cause severe burns or permanent disfigurement. As for which kinds of fireworks are illegal in Florida – if it flies (becomes airborne) or explodes – it’s illegal.
Fireworks cause an average of 20,000 reported fires annually in the U.S., according to the National Fire Protection Association. On a typical Independence Day, more fires are reported than on any other day.
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 250 people seek medical treatment at emergency rooms daily from fireworks-related injuries in the days leading up to the July Fourth holiday.
The Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigation and Broward Sheriff Fire Marshal’s Bureau also conduct inspections of roadside fireworks stands. Another important safety item to consider is celebratory gunfire. Firing a gun in the air is not only against the law, it’s extremely dangerous. Remember, falling bullets kill.
