Life Balance is a magazine published by Life Credit Union.
Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/702774
FEW THINGS LIGHT UP A SUMMER NIGHT'S SKY LIKE FESTIVE FIREWORKS. SAFETY SAVVY Fireworks BEFORE LIGHTING ANY bottle rockets or sparklers at home this summer, brush up on safety tips. > Keep it outdoors. Only light fi reworks outside and away from your home, garden shed, barn or other structures. > Have water on hand. Place a large bucket of water and a water hose near the fi reworks lighting site in case stray sparks get out of hand or a fi rework shoots in an unintended direction. > Don't re-light duds. Sometimes, fi reworks don't work properly after the fuse is lit. If this happens, don't try to re-light the fi rework. Instead, soak stalled fi reworks in water and dispose of them. > Never let young children handle fireworks. Young children should never touch or light fi reworks, and older children should be very closely supervised. Stress to your children that safety rules must be followed, and rule #1 is to never light fi reworks without adult supervison. Many fireworks get hot enough to melt glass, so having one burn your skin is no small matter. If a fireworks injury occurs, see your primary care doctor or go to your local urgent care or emergency room as quickly as possible. If the injury is a burn, run cool water over it. If it is an eye injury, don't touch it or flush it with water—seek immediate medical attention. Fireworks Alternatives To avoid the risk that comes with lighting fireworks without missing out on the fun, consider these alternatives. • Attend a professional fireworks show. Watch your local news outlets for announcements of fireworks events in your area. • Opt for glow sticks. Just as bright and festive as sparklers, glow sticks are widely available and often inexpensive. They also don't require the fire necessary to make sparklers shine. • Go for glow-in-the-dark paint. Whether you buy nontoxic body paint from a store or use one of many do-it-yourself recipes found online, these paints can let your children be their own sparklers. • Play with flashlights. Flashlights can illuminate the night with an after-dark light show or energetic game of flashlight beam tag.