Wisconsin Fire Dept. Shares Fingerless Photo In Hopes to Save One Hand At a Time
Celebrate big this 4th of July weekend, with more oohs and ahhs than ouches. This picture is a horrifying reminder of how dangerous things could get.
How To Avoid Fireworks-Related Emergency Room Trips
This is an easy thing to do, but booze mixed with a 'won't happen to me' attitude will quickly put your bloody stump that was once a hand in front of a trauma surgeon.
According to a new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were at least 15,600 firework-related injuries resulting in hospital treatment in 2020. That number included 18 deaths.
This report even breaks down the injuries according to the type of firework that caused them.
Roman candles, sparklers, and fountains were responsible for 2,400 injuries. Firecrackers hurt 1,600 people. 600 injuries involved rockets, and the rest were from unknown causes.
Fireworks That Are Legal In Wisconsin
Most fireworks that don't go boom or leave the ground are OK without a permit. That includes smoke bombs, cones, fountains, caps, confetti poppers and, you guessed it, snakes and sparklers.
Fireworks That Are Illegal In Wisconsin
Possessing or using any other fireworks, including, for example, firecrackers, roman candles, bottle rockets, and mortars, is illegal in Wisconsin without a valid permit.
The explosive firework that caused the injury you're about to see is an M-80.
These are very powerful, and very illegal, firecrackers with around 3,000 mg of explosives. A regular firecracker is around 50 mg, which by law is as much as is allowed for on-the-ground consumer use.
The La Crosse, Wisconsin Fire Department just shared a photo of what your hand will look like if one of them goes off in or very near your hand. The 3,000 mg of explosives in an M-80 will do some serious damage.
M80s are illegal in the State of Wisconsin without a permit, per State Statute 167.10. If it leaves the ground or explodes, it's illegal. The "permit" you might get from the guy at the stand up tent is useless if you want to shoot off your fireworks. That permit merely allows you to possess the fireworks, but doesn't allow you to shoot them off.
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