Epic Fireworks Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Pyrotechnics’

Above, is an interesting video by our good friend David DeSafey from Pyro-Talk USA that really puts things in perspective.

The above video was deliberately made to provide training to new fire fighters in the USA.

For further information, the 18 minute video below is called ‘the making of the salute in a car video’.

Please respect fireworks and do not try this at home.

Have you ever wondered what’s the proper way to dispose of unused fireworks ?

Well, here’s a very interesting video by County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

In the video, the partially fired fireworks are placed in a bucket of water, and soaked for at least 3 to 4 days. Then the soaked fireworks are placed in a black bin bag and treated like household waste. Click here to watch the video by County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

We hope this never ever happens to anyone, but in the back of your mind you must ask yourself , what should you do if somebody is injured by fireworks at your event?

Here are some tips on ‘what should’ and ‘what shouldn’t’ be done:

Eyes

- If a firework has got into the eye(s), the first thing is to stay calm and do not panic.

- If an object is in the eye(s) or punctured the eye(s), do not try to remove it – this could cause greater damage. If you can find a small paper / plastic cup (or something very similar) to cover the eye(s), this could provide protection until you get to the hospital / casualty.

- Do not rub the eye(s). Although this may seem like a natural reaction at the time, it may make the injury even worse.

- Do not delay medical attention even if you think it’s a mild injury. Seek medical advice ASAP.

- If the injury affects only one eye, we recommend you cover both eyes. The reason for this is that it helps reduce the eye movement – as the uninjured eye moves, the injured eye will try to move too, which could result in further damage.

Further advice on eye related firework injuries can be found here – WARNING, some of the images are quite disturbing.

Burns

- If the burn(s) is a 1st or 2nd degree (the colour of the burn usually tells you – red, blistering, but not black or charred), then the usual course of action is to stop the burning process as quickly as possible with cold water – but make sure it’s not ice-cold water. If running or bottled water isn’t at hand, then you can use a clean cloth to cover the area but be careful not to exert too much pressure on the skin.

- If blisters form, do not puncture them, this could lead to infection.

- If you are going to cover or wrap the burn, be sure you do not use something that has lint or traces of cotton that can get stuck to the skin. The best bandage to use is a sterile gauze – most modern dressings will almost all come in a pre-packaged sterile wrapping with a date code to ensure sterility.

- Watch closely for signs of infection (increased pain, fever, oozing from the burn). If you have any concerns, seek medical advice ASAP.

Further advice on what to do when you are burned by a firework can be found here.

Fireworks can be a beautiful way to finish off a 4th July, bonfire night or a wedding day. But at the same time they are extremely dangerous and must be treated with respect at all times.