This is a sponsored guest post.
Everybody loves fireworks; no matter it is Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve, parades, celebrations, or birthday parties, the show fireworks, sparkles, and rockets put is something to remember and enjoy. However, now that we all have to respect the health and safety guidelines in place, parents cannot rely on venues to use professionals for fireworks displays at children’s parties. Therefore, the next best thing is to throw the party in the backyard and buy fireworks from the grocery store. If this is the case, then experts have a few warnings and instructions for you to consider!
1. Check Your Local Fireworks Law and Regulations
People celebrate many events, while numerous cultures and traditions embrace and promote the use of fireworks.
In the context of celebrating your child’s birthday, getting fireworks for your kid’s party might seem like a fantastic idea, but make sure you stay within the limits of your local law. Always purchase products that comply with not only the state’s rules but also the city or town’s directions. While there is not such a thing as “safe fireworks” (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics), you should look for consumer-friendly sparkles and rockets. They come in colorful packages and display manufacturers’ labels, warnings and instructions.
If you see fireworks wrapped in brown paper or generic packaging, refrain from buying them for a house party. They are usually for professional fireworks shows, and only pyrotechnics technicians should handle them. In any case, do not ever purchase blockbusters or quarter pounders. And never shop for fireworks in the street.
2. Make Sure Your Space is Appropriate for a Firework Show
Most parents know that when it comes to organizing a birthday party for their child, numerous and surprising things can go disastrous in the blink of an eye. The last thing you want is to have fireworks shooting towards your house’s windows or frying your flowerbeds. Fireworks come with many dangers, and you want to keep your home, guests, and property safe at all costs.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 2,500 children end up in the emergency room around July 4 with fireworks-related injuries and burns. Since no parent ever wishes to turn a child’s birthday party into a trip to the hospital, make sure you first organize a safety area in your yard before even considering purchasing fireworks. Here are some ideas:
· Choose a space in your yard that is far away from the house and does not rise reasons to worry about your garden catching on fire;
· Do not trust your children’s word of staying away from the fireworks area; keep them outside the danger zone behind a fence or a rope;
· Do not mix adults who drink, children who play, pets that roam around sniffing around the barbecue, and fireworks in the same area – or the same sentence;
· It is better to keep the kids inside the house while adults shoot the fireworks and let them watch through the window; if this is not possible, keep sparklers and firecrackers or rockets as far from their faces, hair, clothes, and everything else you have in the yard as you can.
We spoke earlier about the fireworks laws you need to follow. Thus, keep in mind that some municipalities mandate you to leave at least 26 feet between the fireworks shooting area and the house. Most experts recommend 50 feet distance for vertical cakes and over 80 feet distance for fanning cakes.
3. Mind the Adults Too
Parents who throw birthday parties for kids – with fireworks to boot – also have to take care of themselves and their adult guests as well. If you can handle children (especially since fireworks are frightening for the youngest of them), it is time to talk about the adults too!
· Before the party, store the fireworks in cold, dry, and inaccessible places for kids;
· Light up only a firework at a time and never let anyone sit with any body part over the flaming device;
· Have a fire extinguisher, a garden hose, or a bucket of water at the ready to soak the leftovers immediately;
· Don’t let anyone try to re-light the duds that did not catch fire in the first place;
· Soak every dud in water as well before you put it in the trash bin, as they can still burn or explode;
· Do not let anyone carry fireworks into their pockets and throw them randomly on the ground;
· After the fireworks show is over, collect any leftovers, soak them in water, and clean the premises.
When it comes to fireworks for birthday parties, make sure that you never allow pets outside the house during the show. If you cannot keep the children away, at least you can safeguard your furry family members from all the loud noises and the commotion.
Bottom Line
Experts recommend you find alternatives to throwing fireworks parties in your yard. After all, a glow-in-the-dark party, light-up novelty items for the day, carnival items, and even a soap bubble party are safer alternatives to literally playing with fire in a confined space filled with kids, people, animals, and flammable items. However, if you can’t separate fireworks from this year’s celebrations, at least check with your local laws, buy the least Gandalf-style types of firecrackers and sparkles, and keep you and everyone else safe!
