Fireworks are a customary part of the American Summer, of course. Watching fireworks, or buying some for the family picnic, is a beloved tradition for many of us here in Indiana and Illinois. The seasonal advertising for firework sales is popping up all over our communities right now.
Professional Fireworks Displays
Many of us choose to take the kids or plan a date night to watch a professional pyrotechnics show. We leave the details to the professionals in lieu of purchasing our own fireworks.
Lots of fireworks displays are scheduled in our part of the country throughout the summer, most are free and open to the public.
They include:
- Navy Pier Fireworks: Every Wednesday and Saturday
In the Chicago area, for instance, there are free fireworks displays every Wednesday and Saturday at the Navy Pier from now until Labor Day. It’s a beautiful site, to see the sky light up over Lake Michigan while the music plays in the background.
- Indianapolis Indians’ Friday Fireworks Nights
In Indianapolis, the Indians have 70 games here at home, including 13 Friday Fireworks Nights on the calendar. One of the Tribe’s biggest displays will be part of its big Fourth of July celebration.
- Biggest Mortar Ever Fired in Indiana
The largest mortar ever to be fired in the State of Indiana is scheduled to be part of the Fireworks over Mississinewa Lake celebration on June 23, 2018. In the free show, which begins at 10:00 p.m., we are promised that the 30 minute show will “paint the sky” with 518 mortars, including the record-breaking 16 inch mortar, the “largest believed to be fired in Indiana.”
In a couple of weeks, there are all sorts of fireworks extravaganzas planned to celebrate the Fourth of July. Cities and counties across both Indiana and Illinois are including pyrotechnic displays as part of their Independence Day celebrations. You can check their websites for details, as for example Pekin, Indiana’s 188th Annual Fourth of July Celebration.
Fireworks for Sale to the Public
Of course, there is also the popular private fireworks fun. Marketing hype is high right now for customers to buy their Roman Candles, Snappers, Rockets, and Firecrackers before the big holiday weekend in a couple of weeks.
Fireworks stores are all over the place, with well-recognized sellers like US Fireworks, Dynamite Fireworks, and Boom Town. This is big business with big profits: US Fireworks is proud to have 218 stores ready to serve customers this year throughout Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan. Dynamite boasts its year-round stores are open to the public, with its Hammond, Indiana, store being the “closest fireworks store to Chicago…” with “…very safe and easy access from the Chicago Skyway….”
Access to fireworks is extremely easy, and the sellers are working hard to make purchasing their products as simple, fast, and tempting as possible.
There is a huge variety of fireworks to choose from, as well as bonus buys and discounts. One store suggests that customers might spot a celebrity or two should they choose to do their fireworks shopping in their Hammond store. There is also the opportunity to buy your fireworks online: many of these sites come with discount coupons (you still have to go to the store to pick up your purchase).
The Danger of Serious Fireworks Injury
The risk of serious harm or fatal injury from these explosives is high, and this is especially true for those individuals who are enjoying their own personal fireworks. However, there are also dangers arising from those involved in the pyrotechnics industry.
These are dangerous devices, and anyone coming into contact with them must be alert and aware of the risk of harm.
Accordingly, there are rules and regulations to be followed by anyone selling or promoting pyrotechnics. From providing fireworks displays to selling sparklers, for instance, licenses must be obtained and there must be compliance with all sorts of safety laws.
For details, see the Ilinois State Fire Marshall’s page dealing with pyrotechnics and fireworks. Additionally, some products are allowed to be sold here, and others are forbidden by the Illinois Pyrotechnic Use Act.
Personal use of fireworks is also limited by law. The Indiana Department of Transportation lists these limitations, which include being over the age of 18 years and specific time, date, and location regulations. See the Indiana Fireworks Safety Fact Sheet.
Many people will be injured from fireworks this year. Some of these injuries will be serious and life-altering. A few may be fatal. Both government officials and safety advocates are concerned.
The problem of fireworks injuries has caused the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal to begin investigating the number of consumer fireworks injuries caused by consumer fireworks. Hospitals are being asked to provide information on “use patterns and subsequent injuries that may result from fireworks” reporting “each fireworks injury presented to your emergency room between June 23rd and July 20th.”
Last summer, the federal government released a report warning of the dangers of fireworks. Statistics found that at four (4) people were confirmed to have died from fireworks injuries, with another 11,100 suffering serious bodily injury from accidents involving fireworks in the last surveyed year. See, “2016 Fireworks Annual Report,” written by Yongling Tu and published June 2017 by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Illinois’ National Safety Council warns that most severe fireworks injuries happen when the inexperienced are endeavoring to work with:
- Prohibited fireworks (illegal makes or models);
- Homemade devices; or
- Professional-grade explosives.
SafeKids.org urges families to forego using fireworks at all and instead to enjoy one of the many professional pyrotechnic displays in the local area. For those that insist upon novelty fireworks at home, the safety group suggests:
- Children be closely monitored;
- No one should wear loose clothing;
- Fireworks should be pointed away from homes and never lit near flammables like leaves, brush, grass, etc.; and
- Prepare in advance for someone to be hurt: have water to douse the fireworks as well as a fire extinguisher to fight any fire, and have a plan for getting a victim to emergency medical care as soon as possible.
Injury Claims after a Fireworks Accident
As advocates for accident victims and their families, we understand the ramifications of a serious bodily injury or severe harm that causes permanent damage and changes lives forever. This is especially tragic when the victim is a child or teenager.
Fireworks accidents can cause burns that permanently scar the victim, as well as damaging the ability to have full function and use of a limb or one of the senses (sight, hearing). Death can occur, as well.
Claims may be available under state or federal law for these injuries. Defective or prohibited products may form the basis of a products liability lawsuit; the failure of someone to protect others from harm may result in a negligence cause of action. Each incident will be unique in assessing liability as well as legal damages.
For more on safety concerns and tips on protecting yourself and others this fireworks season, see:
- Fireworks Accidents: Be Very Careful of Fireworks Over Fourth of July Holiday
- Fireworks Fun Will End In Serious Injury or Death for Many This Fourth of July According to CPRC Report Predictions: Know the Dangers of Fireworks This July 4th
- Burn Injuries in the News: Reminder of How Severe and Serious Burn Damages Are for Accident Victims
We understand the fun of fireworks, but know that there will be occasions this summer when an exciting event will go horrifically wrong, and someone will be hurt and in need of extensive care. Let’s be careful out there!
