Spark Memories, Not Fireworks, this Fourth of July

6/20/2025

DeTar encourages the Crossroads to prioritize safety during holiday celebrations

As Independence Day approaches, DeTar Healthcare System is urging residents of Victoria and the Crossroads region to celebrate safely and avoid preventable injuries by leaving fireworks to the professionals. Fireworks have long been a hallmark of July Fourth festivities, but they also carry serious risks, especially when used by individuals without proper training.

“Leave the fireworks to the professionals,” said Dr. Todd Francis, emergency medicine physician at DeTar Healthcare System. “Each year, we see injuries that could have been avoided. By attending community-sponsored displays, families can enjoy the holiday safely and keep their celebrations out of the ER.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks-related incidents led to 8 deaths and over 9,000 injuries treated in emergency departments across the country in 2023. While many of these injuries were caused by amateurs mishandling professional-grade or homemade fireworks, seemingly innocent items like firecrackers and sparklers can also be extremely dangerous.

According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), teenagers ages 15 to 19 had the highest rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries during the four weeks surrounding the Fourth of July, followed by children ages 5 to 9. About 42 percent of the emergency department-treated fireworks-related injuries were for burns. Notably, an estimated 800 injuries were linked to firecrackers and 700 to sparklers.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety reports that over half of sparkler-related injuries involve children under 14. Sparklers can burn at temperatures exceeding 2,000°F—hot enough to melt metal. “If sparklers can melt metal, imagine the severity of the third-degree burns they can cause to a child’s hands,” added Dr. Francis. “Even with adult supervision, there is no truly safe way for a child to handle a sparkler.”

The most common injuries caused by fireworks include burns, which make up 42% of all incidents, but they can also result in serious trauma such as lacerations, amputations, and permanent eye damage. Body parts most frequently affected include the hands, fingers, legs, face, eyes, and ears.

Each year, DeTar Healthcare System’s emergency departments treat injuries caused by fireworks around the Fourth of July and other holidays. “As the ER director for DeTar, I’ve seen firsthand the damage fireworks can do—from severe burns to permanent vision loss. These are preventable injuries if proper precautions are taken,” said Donna Tompkins, ER Director at DeTar Navarro.

She also noted that DeTar’s emergency rooms are specially equipped to handle these types of injuries. “Our emergency nurses are burn certified, meaning we offer a level of care for firework-related injuries that many facilities in the region simply can’t provide,” said Tompkins. If someone is injured by fireworks, seek emergency care immediately if a burn is larger than the palm of the hand or shows signs of infection such as redness, swelling, or fluid drainage.

Tompkins encourages Victoria residents to enjoy the holiday by attending community-sponsored fireworks events, like the City of Victoria’s Annual 4th of July Blastoff held at the Victoria Community Center, rather than lighting fireworks at home. She closed by saying, “By choosing a public fireworks show, you're protecting not just your family, but your neighbors and first responders too.”

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