Fireworks, Water, Other Threats

Governor offers safety tips for July 4th holiday

ALBANY, N.Y. (June 30, 2023) – Governor Kathy Hochul reminds New Yorkers that the July 4th holiday typically sees a rise in sparkling device and firework-related injuries. Food-borne illnesses and water accidents are also more prevalent during the holiday time. Three state agencies offer their expertise to remind of the dangers to make for a safer, more enjoyable time for all.

"July 4th is a special time to gather and spend time with your loved ones and friends," Governor Hochul said. "While celebrating Independence Day, I encourage everyone to follow these tips and to enjoy the holiday weekend. Please stay safe from the preventable: stay away from dangerous fireworks, exercise caution around water and don't let food poisoning ruin your weekend."

The New York Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection, along with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) and the New York State Department of Health remind New Yorkers to keep safe while celebrating Independence Day.

Every year thousands of people — most of them children, teens, and young adults — are injured while using fireworks and sparkling devices, and most of these injuries happen in the weeks surrounding July 4th. Across the United States, at least 11 people died in incidents involving fireworks in 2022, and an estimated 10,200 people were injured, with most of them – 73 percent – occurring during the weeks before and after the July 4th holiday. A 2021 report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows a 25-percent increase in fireworks-related injuries between 2006 and 2021.

In New York state in 2021, there were 199 fireworks-related injury visits reported by emergency departments, with 142 of those visits reported between June 18 and July 18. Additionally, 24 percent of the visits during that time were by patients 18 or younger. Injuries to both children and adults include eye and ear damage, burns, puncture wounds, and permanent scarring.

Common causes of fireworks-related injuries include the following:

A fast-fuse firecracker explodes before it can be thrown.
A misguided rocket strikes a bystander.
A curious youngster goes to investigate why a firecracker "failed" to explode.

While avoiding the use of illegal fireworks is the best way to prevent injury, simple precautions include watching professional fireworks displays, including using earplugs to protect hearing, keeping a safe distance from the launch site, and leaving pets at home. If your pet is nervous around fireworks at home, consult your veterinarian for ways to protect and comfort him or her.

FIREWORKS – WHAT'S LEGAL AND WHAT'S NOT IN NEW YORK STATE

What's Legal:

Sale of sparkling devices by registered sellers from June 1 until July 5 annually. Sparkling devices are ground-based or handheld sparking devices that produce a shower of colored sparks or colored flame, crackling or whistling noise and smoke. They do not launch into the air.
Users must be 18 or older to use sparkling devices.

What's Not Legal:

The possession and use of sparkling devices in cities with populations of more than one million people and where prohibited by local law. This includes New York City and the following counties: Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Erie, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange (prohibited in the Cities of Middletown and Newburgh only), Queens, Richmond, Schenectady, Suffolk, Warren, and Westchester. The list of counties that prohibit the sale and possession of sparkling devices is ever changing; for compliance, please check with your local county sheriff's office.
Fireworks – including firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, spinners, and aerial devices – are illegal statewide.

DCP and OFPC offered guidance to New Yorkers planning to use sparkling devices over the Fourth of July holiday:

Children and sparklers are a dangerous combination. Never allow young children to play with or ignite sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to melt some metals.
Never throw or point sparkling devices toward people, animals, vehicles, structures, or flammable materials. Always follow the instructions on the packaging.
Keep a supply of water close by as a precaution or keep an approved fire extinguisher nearby during a display.
Make sure the person lighting sparkling devices always wears eye protection.
Light only one sparkling device at a time and never attempt to relight "a dud."
Always use sparkling devices outdoors. Never light sparklers inside.
Store sparkling devices in a cool, dry place away from children and pets.
If you are impaired by alcohol, don't use sparkling devices.
Always wear eye protection when using sparkling devices.
Purchase sparkling devices and novelty devices from New York state registered retailers only.

Sales of sparkling devices by certified permanent and specialty retailers can only take place during the year from June 1 to July 5 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 2. Sales of sparkling devices by certified temporary stands or tents can only occur from June 20 to July 5 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 2.

OFPC also encourages parents and guardians to provide children and teens with non-flammable alternatives to sparkling devices, which can be easily found at most retail stores.