6 Minute Read

Fireworks!! - All we need is the excuse of an occasion, an event, or remembrance of a moment in history to light one up and watch it go in flames with a look of wonder in our eyes. Whether it is a personal wedding ceremony, or an international sporting event for all, we get to enjoy this a little bit here and there. But we get to see the real magic of fireworks at the fullest extent when the time comes for the celebration of a new year all over the world at the same time.

Most of us get to enjoy fireworks of New Year celebration from afar, be that in front of a screen, in a crowd (which should be avoided now, thanks to the nasty spread of COVID-19) or just being lonely on our rooftop. But some of us, with a rooftop of our own, like to enjoy this a little bit more by participating in cracking on fireworks themselves.

Almost each year, during new year celebrations with fireworks, many men, women, and children get injured from that. A concise guideline of firework safety is needed for them to follow strictly.

So, let’s crack open the case of fireworks safety measures and see what’s inside:


Safety First

If you plan to celebrate this night with your own fireworks (that you bought, not made), these precautions might help prevent potential severe injuries:

Rooftop Space: Depending on the space of the roof, quantify your stack of fireworks to be burned as well. If it the space is too small, it is better to have smaller and lesser number of fireworks to lit up.

Keep less Crowd: Be careful to keep the number of people in your vicinity as less as possible. Because more people means more unknown variables for things to go wrong.

Read the Labels: Read the safety labels on the fireworks before start lighting them up willy-nilly

Don’t Fool Around: Never place any part of your body over a firework device. Don’t carry fireworks in your pocket or throw them out. Don’t direct rockets to other spectators. Don’t run around foolishly or playing with others while using fireworks. Make sure not to drink alcohol when using fireworks. You would want to stay sharp while enjoying yourself as well as keeping people safe around you.

What’s Done Is Done: Don’t try to relight the fireworks that have not worked properly or just didn’t work at all. Let them rest in pieces instead of putting yourself at the path of resting in peace.

Safety Goggles: It’s a buzzkill, I know, but it is better to stay safe than getting accidentally burning your skin or limbs with visible, permanent damage. Just make sure the one who handles fireworks wears safety goggles to protect the eyes from flying sparks or debris.

Ban Bottle Rockets: Don't use bottle rockets. Their flight paths are often erratic, and rocket launchers sometimes explode, sending pieces of glass or metal flying.

Be Alert: Keep a bucket of water or a water hose just in case if there is a malfunction or fire. Keep fire extinguishers and first aid kit near you as well. Make sure that the fire is out, and surroundings are safe before leaving the rooftop. Also learn about the safety measures if any fire accident goes out of control in your vicinity which might help you to act quickly and save lives.

Medical Emergency: Know basic first aid burn treatment techniques before lighting fireworks. Manage the contact number of nearby hospital or clinic & have a telephone nearby to be prepared to call for emergency assistance if necessary. If clothing catches on fire, remove it instantly. Do not administer painkillers which might affect the blood flow of the burned area. Never rub eyes, put pressure on them or flush them with water that have been injured by fireworks, it’ll make the situation worse. Instead of that, cover the eyes gently with some form of cup and seek professional help.

One at a Time: Light fireworks only one at a time. You will then be able to enjoy the fireworks a bit longer with full satisfaction of watching each of them going up in flames. If you try to do otherwise, you will literally play with fire and potentially put yourself and others in the position of harm. Larger display might cost you large too.

Remove anything Flammable: Put out any naked flame sources and cigarettes, paper pieces and other dry materials on the spot. Make sure to remove all the safety net made of organic fibers if you have a badminton court in your rooftop as well.

 

Buying from Reliable Sources

If doing fireworks on your local area is BANNED due to safety protocol by law enforcements, DON’T DARE TRYING TO DO OTHERWISE. Follow the Law. Don’t Play with Fire (No pun intended).

Now that we shared the caveat, let’s see what we can do if law enforcements do allow for us to enjoy it:

 

Secure Storage

Disposal of the Damned

When your fun ends, doesn’t mean the same for fireworks that you have spent too. They almost have a horror movie vibe to reignite mysteriously if they are left unattended. Let’s make sure that never happens:

Follow these procedures accordingly and have yourselves a nice celebration for the new year.
Let’s bid the year 2021 adieu together and hope for a new sunshine with better chance for humanity!