The Fourth of July in Yuma is a time for outdoor celebrations that often involve grilling out or enjoying fireworks. These activities are fun, but they can also cause serious burns. Lerner and Rowe’s burn injury attorneys in Yuma recommend the following tips to help keep you and your family safe:
Fireworks safety
Many types of fireworks are illegal in Arizona, including bottle rockets, roman candles, and firecrackers. Attending a professional public display is the safest way to enjoy fireworks, but if you’re using them at home, take the following precautions:
- Keep children from using them. Sparklers are often thought of as harmless, but they burn at temperatures hotter than 1,000 degrees. Children should not be allowed to use them.
- Use them at a safe location. Use fireworks on the ground or a driveway, away from bushes, grass, trees, and vehicles. Keep spectators at a safe distance.
- Control who’s lighting them. This only includes sober and safely protected adults.
- Properly dispose of fireworks. Pick up used fireworks with a shovel and put in a bucket of water for several hours before throwing them out in the trash.
Grill safety
In 2014, 16,600 people went to emergency rooms because of injuries involving grills. The following tips can help you prevent burns and fires from grills:
- Keep your grill clean. Residue from old food and grease can cause your grill to flare up. Clean the grills as well as the trays below them before using.
- Use it in a safe place. Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your home and deck railings. Also have a fire extinguisher nearby in case you need it.
- Use lighter fluid carefully. If you’re using lighter fluid on a charcoal grill, never use it on lit coals.
- Supervise your grill. You or another adult should monitor the grill at all times to make sure a fire doesn’t start. In addition, you’ll need to make sure children, who may be tempted to touch the food or the outside of the grill, stay away from it.
If you’ve suffered a burn injury over Fourth of July in Yuma, contact Lerner and Rowe’s burn injury attorneys at 928-222-2222. Our board-certified attorneys offer free consultations and the best personal injury legal representation in Arizona.