Burgers and Band-Aids: Essential 4th of July Safety Guidelines

4th of July is the time for friends, family and fun. Let’s keep it that way by making sure we’re all following a few essential guidelines to celebrating safely this year!

Safety during the day on July 4th

We often associate 4th of July with late night fires and firework mishaps, but many forget the party starts early on! Here’s some safety tips leading up to your fireworks show that you shouldn’t forget.

• Grill safety:
  • Always monitor usage of a grill and never leave it unattended. Accidents can happen the second you look away.
  • Place your grill in a well-ventilated area. Not near trees, buildings or any other flammable items.
  • Practice safe usage with hand-mitts and long grill-safe utensils to prevent burns.
  • Have a fire extinguisher within arms’ reach at all times. You never know when you may need it.
  • Keep unattended children away from the grill. Curious minds can lead to dangerous things.
• Fun in the sun safety:
  • Apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 to your skin every two hours or less, as recommended on the bottle if you’re outdoors – this can include while swimming but also applies to just hanging outdoors.
  • Utilize a hat. Head sunburns can ruin the fun and leave you in pain the rest of the night!
  • Stay hydrated throughout the day. Drink more water than you think you need.
  • Responsibly consume alcohol. Monitor your friends, watch your limits, and never get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking. Read our blogs on drunk driving for more information.
  • Practice standard pool safety. Monitor your children, use life jackets and always follow pool rules. Read our blogs on pool accidents for more information.

Safety during the night on July 4th

The big spectacular shows begin, we start getting into more dangerous activities and many often forget to be mindful when having so much fun.

•  Fireworks safety:
  • Go for a public show rather than an at-home show. While saving money and time, you also lower the risk of an accident happening if shows are handled by professionals.
  • Follow local laws and regulations. Georgia’s can be found here.
  • Always read the firework’s packaging. There’s more than pretty pictures on those boxes. They contain vital information on how to properly use the firework.
  • Light fireworks in an open, outdoor area – away from buildings, trees, flammable objects and dry grass.
  • Keep an extinguisher, water bucket or hose nearby. A fire could happen at any moment and become uncontrollable quickly.
  • Keep children away from the set-off zone. Children should not be handling any fireworks, and be kept at a safe distance of at least 200 feet for aerial fireworks, 30 for ground fireworks, preferably behind barriers. You certainly don’t want to be the victim of an accident like this family was.
  • Light one at a time. We know it can be tempting to have blasts go off one after the other, but this is the peak time when accidents may happen. Purchase a “show in a box” with multiple rounds rather than setting off multiple yourself.
  • Dispose of all fireworks properly. Ensure that nothing is still lit or on fire, and soak all fireworks in water before disposing in the trash.