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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Festive parades, barbeques, and get-togethers help commemorate the summer season. Fourth of July accident reports, however, annually demonstrate that even the most seemingly innocent sparkler or Roman candle holds danger. Fireworks can turn a celebration into a disastrous occasion in an instant.
“The best safety precaution for fireworks is to leave them in the hands of trained professionals who put on incredible public firework shows,” says Dr. Steven Wolf, a renowned UT Southwestern Medical Center burn and trauma care specialist.
Most firework burns injure the fingers, hands, or face of those involved. When a burn occurs, “immediately apply cool or lukewarm water on the affected area for 15 minutes,” Dr. Wolf says. “This significantly decreases the injury and makes treatment thereafter easier to deal with. However, if more than 10 percent of the body is burned, there presents a risk of hypothermia.”
Dr. Wolf says to seek medical attention if the burn is larger than the palm of the victim’s hand, or if the burn begins to blister.
Visit www.utsouthwestern.org/surgery to learn more about UT Southwestern’s surgical services, including those for burn/trauma/critical care.
June is Fireworks Safety Month.
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