Every Fourth of July, colorful sparks decorate the skies while posing serious safety threats.
“Nationwide, there's always a huge increase in… injuries, as a result of the misuse of fireworks,” said Kevin Mangan, High Springs Fire Department spokesperson.
In High Springs, while lighting fireworks in his neighborhood, a man was taken to the hospital several years ago with severe burns, according to Mangan. When the firework appeared to not have been fully ignited, he approached it to inspect. That’s when the firework discharged in his face. Authorities say he made a full recovery.
In situations like this, the High Springs Fire Department says to spray water on your fireworks and not try to relight them if they malfunction.
“We generally just encourage people to leave it to the professionals to avoid that potential for injury,” said Mangan.
Children and young adults are more likely to get injured by fireworks, according to a study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 had the highest rate of fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency departments with children, aged five to nine years old, having the second-highest rates.
According to Statista, reported fireworks-related injuries have declined since 2020. In 2024, the CPSC says injuries increased from the year before to more than 14,000 cases nationally. That same year, 11 deaths were caused by fireworks.
Hands, fingers and areas around the face are the most commonly injured treated in emergency rooms, making up more than half of all firework-related injuries. Statista reports that most of these injuries are burns.
This year, Florida Rep. Jimmy Patronis issued tips for Fourth of July safety:
- Consider attending a professional fireworks show
- If lighting fireworks at home, do so one at a time to prevent confusion and injuries.
- Be cautious when disposing of fireworks and sparklers after their use; keep a fire extinguisher and water close by.
- Keep grills away from homes, branches, decks and from children’s reach.
- Keep your pets safe and supervise them.
Animals and pets are often troubled by the great booms as well.
Franziska Raeber is the director of development at the Humane Society of north central Florida. She says people generally don’t understand what frequency animals hear, which can make long firework shows sound even louder.
“For them it's a really tough experience,” said Raeber. “Fireworks in particular will also have lights, sudden flashes of lights that they just can't orient themselves… which is scary when you don't know. They wanna hide.”
Like cats and dogs, farm animals like horses and cows also get nervous. Raeber says you will likely see them shuffling around and anxiously moving back and forth.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association, animal control officials nationwide see up to a 60% increase in lost pets between July 4 and 6 each year. They say July 5 is usually one of the busiest days of the year for animal shelters.
Raeber says the organization will experience many lost animals being brought in. While they cannot serve as a public shelter, like Alachua County Animal Shelter, they help with checking microchips and provide resources to reunite animals and owners.
Whether your pet has a microchip or not, Raeber recommends giving them a collar and tags.Some owners also invest in GPS tracking units fixed to collars.
“An animal that has a collar is more likely to be picked up by somebody than an animal without a collar,” Raeber said.
She also recommends putting animals indoors and in crates, if they are already trained to do so. Putting a blanket over the crate can help calm them and shelter them more from flashing lights and sounds.For bathroom breaks, Raeber recommends feeding and walking in daylight hours before shows begin.
If your pet remains anxious, Raeber recommends talking to your veterinarian about sedative options.