Planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve with fireworks? Here are some safety tips

Many Georgians will ring in the New Year with football, food and fireworks.

Unfortunately, that also means hundreds of people will have a difficult start to their year: according to the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire for Georgia, approximately 11,500 people were injured and nine were killed due to firework related injuries in 2021.

While a majority of these injuries occurred around July 4th, New Year’s Eve can also be dangerous.

In order to keep people safe, the Georgia Department of Heath has suggested tips to stay safe with fireworks during New Year’s Eve.

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities.
• Avoid buying fireworks packaged in brown paper, which often means they were made for professional displays and could be dangerous for consumers.
• Make sure you, your children, and others watch fireworks displays from a safe distance.
• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t ignite.
• Call 911 immediately if someone is injured.

Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King suggested these tips to keep safe while bringing in the New Year with a bang:

• Purchase fireworks from a licensed fireworks dealer.
• Observe all state laws regarding the use of fireworks.
• Read the labels carefully before igniting any fireworks.
• Ensure that an adult supervises all firework activities.
• Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.
• Light one firework at a time.
• Only use fireworks outdoors in a clear area, away from buildings and vehicles.
• Never try to relight a firework.
• Have a garden hose or bucket of water nearby.