Editorial: Remember veterans in Fourth of July plans

Published 12:00 pm Friday, June 28, 2019

By Staff reports

Before setting off a firework this Fourth of July, consider the veterans in your neighborhood.

Not all veterans feel anxiety and panic at the loud bang of fireworks, but enough do that we need to consider them.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, between 11 and 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are diagnosed with PTSD.

Talk with your neighbors and your neighborhood.

Seek out veterans in your area and talk with them.

If loud firework noises bother them, consider the sacrifices they’ve made and skip the fireworks this year.

If you do decide to use fireworks, be safe.

Safe Kids Georgia and the National Council on Fireworks Safety have the following tips to share:

• Obey all local laws regarding the use of fireworks.

• Know your fireworks; read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.

• A responsible adult should supervise all firework activities.  Never give fireworks to children.

• Young children can be injured even by sparkles when not properly supervised. Sparklers burn hot enough to cause third degree burns. According to the National Fire Protection Association, sparklers account for roughly one-quarter of emergency room fireworks injuries.

• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix.  Save your alcohol for after the show.

• Wear safety glasses when shooting fireworks.

• Light one firework at a time and then quickly move away.

• Use fireworks outdoors in a clear area, away from buildings and vehicles.

• Never pick up a lit firework.

• Always place fireworks on the ground and light the fuse at an arms length and immediately get to a safe distance to observe.

• Never point or throw a firework at someone.

• Never relight a “dud” firework.  Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.

• Always have a bucket of water, charged water hose and/or a fire extinguisher nearby.

• Never carry fireworks in your pocket or shoot them into metal or glass containers.

• Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.

• Dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and place in a metal trash can away from any building or combustible materials until the next day.