It is that time of the year when we don the red, white, and blue attire and celebrate our nation's independence. Get ready for all kinds of fireworks this 4th of July Weekend and hospital staff may get ready to see more patients in the hospital.

It seems like 20 years ago, every young man had a blast playing with fireworks. We may not have been the most responsible with them but shooting for bottle rockets on the 4th was a rite of passage in my neighborhood.

No matter what kind you are using, whether they are snakes and sparklers or things that make a big boom, it is important to be cautious and safe. According to the Consumer Product Safety Report, there was a 50% increase in fireworks-related injuries and deaths from 2019 to 2020. I'm guessing people didn't get more responsible in recent years.

According to Nationwide Children's, here are some of the most common injuries with fireworks and firecrackers during the 4th of July weekend. Firecrackers, bottle rockets and sparklers are the main culprits. Hand and finger injuries are the most common because things like sparklers seem harmless and they burn many children.

There are some injuries that are overlooked.

Outdoor shot of laughing friends with sparklers, standing together at night
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Burns are something to be cautious of but they also report that hearing loss and blindness are other injuries that can occur. Boys are also much more likely to be injured during 4th of July celebrations.

To be safe, they recommend that if you want to see fireworks this year then let the professionals handle them.

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