If you plan on having a good time this 4th of July, try not to turn it from a fun celebration into an emergency room or prison visit. Those are the options that could “explode” in your face, should you throw your own fireworks “party”.
Also, keep in mind that in the specific case of the Big Apple, using or commercializing any type of fireworks equipment is totally prohibited by local laws. Therefore, you could end up fined or behind bars for criminal recklessness.
Even with legal restrictions, 911 and 311 calls for illegal detonations of fireworks in New York City typically increase by 500% during and after Independence Day celebrations.
As this date approaches, the New York City Department of Health (DOHMH) is also issuing alerts about the serious risks of illegal fireworks.
Last year, nearly 40 people visited emergency services due to fireworks injuries, far more than the annual averages between 2017 and 2021.
Most of these cases of burns, injuries and other eventualities, linked to the “home” manipulation of these devices, were specified between July 2 and 8.
“Every 4th of July, New Yorkers end up in the hospital with serious injuries after setting off their own fireworks. Our city has the most dazzling fireworks displays for this celebration in the world, which are organized by technical experts. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe,” Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan warned.
Majority of injuries on these dates
A few days before this commemoration in the country, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encouraged communities to leave fireworks in the hands of professionals, or take steps to celebrate safely at use them in counties where they are allowed.
This national alert call arises from the analysis of fatalities last year: 11 deaths were reported, mostly related to mortar-type artifacts. Five of those deaths, whose victims were between 11 and 43 years old, were linked to the misuse of these explosive devices with large amounts of gunpowder.
Adults 25 to 44 years old suffered about 36% of the estimated injuries, and children younger than 15 years old accounted for 28% of those injured.
The new report also showed that there were an estimated 10,200 fireworks-related injuries in 2022. 73% of those injuries occurred during July 4 holiday celebrations.
FDNY: Watch out for kids!
Along the same lines, in a guide published by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) references are made to the great risk that many people think that sparklers can be used by children.
Given this holiday, where there may be a temptation to use these devices, which can eventually be obtained on the black market, it is stressed again that they are extremely dangerous: “The flares can heat up to 1,800 degrees, hot enough to melt gold and it can easily catch fire on clothing or hair,” recalls FDNY.
The preventive bulletin of the New York fire brigade describes one of the fatalities recorded in the past in New York, as one of the examples of the extremes of danger to which non-professionals who handle fireworks can be exposed.
“A 33-year-old man lost his life while using a mortar. He installed it in a black plastic tube in his yard. As he leaned over one of the tubes to light the fuse, the fireworks suddenly went off hitting him in the face. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead from head injuries”, reports FDNY in the bulletin ‘The Danger of Fireworks’.
Another of the most terrible events remembered in New York has to do with a four-year-old girl who was injured by a team that was shooting colored fireballs. Unfortunately due to an error in the manipulation of the device, she was hit in the chest by a ball of fire. She was hospitalized for three weeks and required a skin graft.
“Fireworks are a beautiful sight, but they can be deadly when handled or used improperly, or if they contain illegal components,” said Alex Hoehn-Saric, CPSC Chairman.
On these dates, special emphasis is placed on keeping children away from any fireworks, including sparklers or little stars.
illegal components
And there are other reasons to steer clear of the idea of having fun with fireworks: In 2022, approximately 43% of fireworks inspected by authorities nationwide were found to contain illegal components that could cause serious injury.
Said components included detonators that did not comply with the established standards, the presence of prohibited chemicals and the overloading of pyrotechnic materials.
Incidents, some fatal, or leaving terrible scars or loss of limbs, related to fireworks are not limited to the 4th of July. The CPSC report highlights other key findings on injuries that occurred during the weeks leading up to the July 4 holiday in 2022.
Banned in NYC
New York City has a number of regulations, perhaps the most extremely strict in the country against the use of fireworks.
It is illegal to use, buy, sell or transport fireworks in the Big Apple,
This includes sparklers, which are just as illegal as larger, more sophisticated fireworks.
For its part, New York State law only allows the sale and use of a very specific category of consumer fireworks known as sparkling devices. These devices produce a shower of colored sparks, audible crackling or hissing noises, and smoke.
The law limits the type, size, and construction of sparking devices and requires that these devices be handheld or mounted on a base or spike, and are limited in sizes ranging from 1 to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition.
Aerial fireworks, firecrackers and rockets, Roman candles, bombs, and metal wire sparklers are illegal throughout New York State.
If you are caught launching illegal fireworks, you could be charged with disorderly conduct or reckless endangerment, which is a felony.
In the specific case of New York City, ‘sparkling devices’ are also prohibited, as in Albany, Nassau, Westchester and Orange counties.
It must be remembered that any person who owns, sells, uses or exploits any category of fireworks in the Big Apple is committing a criminal offence.
Depending on the circumstance, you must pay a fine of $10,000 or imprisonment for six months or both.
If you see something, report…
Several city agencies, including the sheriff’s office, FDNY, and the New York Police Department (NYPD) have partnered since 2020 to combat the transportation, storage, or sale of illegal fireworks.
The last major incident recorded in this regard was precisely on July 4, 2020, when the apartment of a Dominican family in Inwood, in Upper Manhattan, was engulfed by flames produced by people who set off fireworks in the vicinity of the building to celebrate these holidays.
If you know that large quantities of fireworks are being stockpiled in your neighborhood, or if you see fireworks being sold or used, call 911. If you know of past or ongoing fireworks sales or use, or If you have any suspicions or fears, call 311.
From fun to fatality:
- 38 visits to hospital ERs in New York City last year related to handling fireworks, up from an annual average of 31 between 2017 and 2021.
- 65% of these visits occurred among men and 21% among people between 15 and 24 years of age.
- 76% of the reported incidents occurred during the holiday week, between July 2 and 8.
- 1,300 people were treated last year throughout the country, with firecrackers being the biggest source of accidents, 600 burns and injuries were caused by flares from using these devices at home.
- 29% of the injuries were caused to the hands and fingers, 19% to the head, face and ears, and 16% to the eyes.
- 38% of the injuries were burns that had to be treated in emergency rooms.
How and where to enjoy the Macys fireworks show?
- Through the New York City NotifyNYC app, if you plan to attend Macy’s July 4th Fireworks Celebration you can receive important event information and emergency alerts by texting JULY4NYC to 692692.
- The 47th edition of this fireworks display will once again light up the East River at around 9:25 PM
- This year’s fireworks display will launch 60,000 projectiles and other lighting effects from five barges located between East 26th and 40th streets along the East River.
- The 25-minute public show is synchronized to a musical score and will feature shells in 30 different colors and shapes.
- Ideal vantage points for viewing this event include First Avenue at East 20th, 34th and 42nd streets in Manhattan, Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City and Marsha P. Johnson State Park, Newtown Barge Park and Transmitter Park in Brooklyn.
- Big-name artists this year include Ashanti, Bebe Rexha, Ja Rule, Jazmine Sullivan and, in what is sure to be a nod to hip-hop’s 50th birthday, LL Cool J and The Roots.
- The show will air on NBC and Peacock.