Prevention Beat 

 

July 1, 2009

 

Did you know...? 

 

Thousands of people are treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries each year.

 

In 2006 (the most recent year statistics are available for), eleven people died and an estimated 9,200 were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries in the United States.  Illegal fireworks continue to be a serious problem.  Over the past 10 years, 30-33 percent of the injuries associated with fireworks have typically been caused by illegal explosives or homemade fireworks.

 

The most common injuries from fireworks are to the fingers, hands, eyes and legs.  Burns account for approximately 55% of the type of injury.  Eye injury’s account for approximately 24%of the injuries and one third of eye injuries result in permanent blindness.  Children between the ages of 10 and 14 had the highest injury rate, followed by children 5 to 9 years old and then teenagers and young adults 15-19 years old.  Over a third of the injuries suffered from fireworks were from sparklers, 17% were from bottle rockets and 14% were caused by small firecrackers.  An estimated 5% of fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency departments required hospitalization.

 

Children should watch and enjoy fireworks at a safe distance and follow the safety rules for using sparklers. Only adults should deal with firework displays and the lighting of fireworks.  Adults should also take care of the safe disposal of fireworks once they have been used.

 

The National Safety Council and OHS-COMPCARE recommend that the best way to safely enjoy your 4th of July Holiday is to watch a public fireworks display conducted by professionals.  However, if fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to host a fireworks display of your own, please be sure to follow important safety tips.

 

To help make your 4th of July Holiday more safe and enjoyable - and if fireworks are legal where you live -follow these guidelines when using fireworks:

 

  1. Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable.
  2. Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
  3. Older children should use fireworks only under close adult supervision.
  4. Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time.
  5. Read and follow the instructions on each firework.
  6. Light the firework at arm's length with a taper and maintain a safe distance after lighting.
  7. Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks.
  8. Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
  9. Keep water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that malfunction or in the event of a fire.
  10. Don't put fireworks in pockets, and never throw them.
  11. Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators, homes, and flammable materials.
  12. Make sure that all fires are put out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.

 

Don’t forget about your pets this 4th of July Holiday!  Pets don’t like fireworks.  The flames and noise bother them.  To keep your pets safe over the 4th of July Holiday, keep them indoors.  Make sure they cannot get out through open windows and doors.  Pets should wear collars with their information attached in the event that they are scared and run off.  Make sure they have plenty of food and water and toys to distract them from the noise outside.  Pets are family too and should be kept safe and comfortable this holiday season.

 

To learn more about fire work safety visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/ or the National Safety Council’s website at:  http://www.nsc.org/.

 

 

So that our employees may celebrate the 4th of July Holiday with their families, OHS-COMPCARE and Adult Quick Care will be closed on Friday July 3rd.  Our Quick Care urgent care clinic located at 900 West Foxwood Drive in Raymore MO (located in Price Chopper) will be open on July 3rd from 9am – 7pm but will be closed on Saturday for the 4th of July holiday.

 

On behalf of OHS-COMPCARE, Adult Quick Care and Quick Care we wish you and your family a Happy and Healthy Holiday!!!

 

 

*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*

 

To view the Tip of the Week in Spanish please visit our Tip of the Week library at http://www.ohscompcare.com/totw/. 


To learn more about services OHS-COMPCARE has to offer, contact our Client Services Team at (816) 561-2105 option 1 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com.  You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.

 

Why choose us?  Because OHS-COMPCARE has a physician on call 24/7/365 days a year to respond to our client's needs.

 

 

OHS-COMPCARE now featuring Adult Quick Care has seven (7) area clinical facilities:

 

Independence Clinical Facility

Johnson County Clinical Facility

St. Joseph Clinical Facility

Grandview Clinical Facility

19000 E. Eastland Center Crt, St. 200

10415 Lackman Road

904 Edmond Street

13830 S Us Highway 71

Independence, MO 64055

Lenexa, KS 66219

St. Joseph, MO 64501

Grandview, MO 64030

816-478-9299

913-495-9905

816-233-7702

816-761-4664

After Hours Available

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility

KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility

Wyandotte County Clinical Facility

 

1650 Broadway

6501 East Commerce, Suite 110

1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200

 

Kansas City, MO 64108

Kansas City, MO 64120

Kansas City, KS  66102

 

816-842-2020

816-483-5550

913-596-2774

 

 

Adult Quick Care provides Urgent Care to Adults and Adolescents Age 14 and Older.  No appointment is necessary at Adult Quick Care.

 

When you are sick or have a new injury, Adult Quick Care is your affordable, time saving choice for quality care.

 

 

To learn more about Adult Quick Care please call 816-559-6320 or visit www.adultquickcare.com.