US emergency department visits for fireworks injuries, 2006-2010 (original) (raw)
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PLOS ONE, 2020
Objective People in the Netherlands are legally allowed to celebrate New Year's Eve with consumer fireworks. The aim of this study was to provide detailed information about the patient and injury characteristics, medical and societal costs, and clinical and functional outcome in patients with injuries resulting from this tradition. Methods A multicenter, prospective, observational case series performed in the Southwest Netherlands trauma region, which reflects 15% of the country and includes a level I trauma center, a specialized burn center, a specialized eye hospital, and 13 general hospitals. All patients with any injury caused by consumer fireworks, treated at a Dutch hospital between December 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018, were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were unknown contact information or insufficient understanding of Dutch or English language. The primary outcome measure was injury characteristics. Secondary outcome measures included treatment, direct medical and indirect societal costs, and clinical and functional outcome until one year after trauma. Results 54 out of 63 eligible patients agreed to participate in this study. The majority were males (N = 50; 93%), 50% were children below 16 years of age, and 46% were bystanders. Injuries were mainly located to the upper extremity or eyes, and were mostly burns (N = 38; 48%) of partial thickness (N = 32; 84%). Fifteen (28%) patients were admitted and 11 (20%) patients needed
Deaths and hospitalisation from fireworks injuries
Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 2000
statement of the problem Little is known about the severity of fireworks injuries and no international reviews have been conducted. This study aimed to document and describe the severity of fireworks injuries and the implications for prevention in several countries. method This retrospective epidemiological study of fireworks-related deaths and hospitalisations obtained injury surveillance data and vital statistics from Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States. Of three further countries approached, none was able to supply the full dataset. results From 1991 to 1995, there were 22 deaths involving fireworks in the United States, 5 in the Netherlands and none in Australia or New Zealand. Except in 1994, the Netherlands had higher admission rates from fireworks injuries than Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Overall, Australia experienced the lowest admission rates. Australian injuries may also have been less severe. Males and children <15 years of age accounted for most admissions. Fatal injuries were mostly to males aged 15-44 years. conclusions Deaths from fireworks injuries are rare in Australia and New Zealand. Differences in rates and in some characteristics of admitted cases were observed between countries. This study should serve as a benchmark and a pilot to future studies. International comparisons will require enhanced epidemiological data, possibly by collaborative prospective data collection, with appropriate quality control, rather than routinely collected data. Such studies should include developing countries, where the manufacture and use of fireworks is widespread. Since differences may relate to regulatory control and exposure, these should be documented.
Injuries Associated with Fireworks – a Real Threat Among Children Population
Jurnalul Pediatrului, 2020
People use fireworks to celebrate religious and other holidays in many countries around the world. Fireworks have been banned in a lot of countries but still pose a high potential risk of injuries, especially among male children. Hands and fingers sustain the largest number of injuries followed by legs, then eye injuries. In addition, the lesions from fireworks can be "life-changing" if it occurs on someone's dominant hand, which may never regain its original function if the injury is very severe, or if it produces loss of vision.
Injuries associated with fireworks in Victoria: an epidemiological overview
Injury Prevention, 1998
Objectives-To determine the epidemiological features of injuries associated with fireworks. Design-A retrospective study of reported cases. Subjects-Subjects were those who attended selected Victorian hospital emergency departments (n=17) and those admitted for firework related injuries (n=16). Results-The mean (SD) age of attenders at emergency department between January 1988 and June 1996, was 8.9 (6.2) years and most (88%) were under 18 years of age. Males accounted for 71% of the cases. The most common anatomical sites and types of injury were head (47%) and burns (88%), respectively. About 53% of the injuries were caused by firecrackers, the remainder by sparklers and penny bangers. Among those admitted to hospital between July 1987 and June 1996, the mean (SD) age was 22.9 (14.8) years and 50% were under 18 years of age. Males accounted for 87% of the cases. There was a significant diVerence in mean age between those admitted and not admitted to hospital, the former being significantly older. Conclusions-Although relatively rare, injuries from fireworks still occur in Victoria after legislative restrictions on their sale in 1985. Consequently, there is a potential risk for injuries among children, particularly from firecrackers. More enforcement of the regulations, education, and parental supervision are needed to prevent injuries from fireworks.
Fireworks-Related Injuries to Children
PEDIATRICS, 2001
An estimated 8500 individuals, approximately 45% of them children younger than 15 years, were treated in US hospital emergency departments during 1999 for fireworks-related injuries. The hands (40%), eyes (20%), and head and face (20%) are the body areas most often involved. Approximately one third of eye injuries from fireworks result in permanent blindness. During 1999, 16 people died as a result of injuries associated with fireworks. Every type of legally available consumer (socalled "safe and sane") firework has been associated with serious injury or death. In 1997, 20 100 fires were caused by fireworks, resulting in $22.7 million in direct property damage. Fireworks typically cause more fires in the United States on the Fourth of July than all other causes of fire combined on that day. Pediatricians should educate parents, children, community leaders, and others about the dangers of fireworks. Fireworks for individual private use should be banned. Children and their families should be encouraged to enjoy fireworks at public fireworks displays conducted by professionals rather than purchase fireworks for home or private use.
BMC Public Health
Background Fifteen states, including West Virginia, have liberalized their laws concerning fireworks possession and sale. Effective June 1, 2016, House Bill 2852 enabled all Class C fireworks to be sold within the state. The effects of this policy on fireworks-related injuries requiring immediate medical care are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether this policy may have affected the fireworks-related injury rate and/or injury severity. Methods Data were collected from the electronic medical records of patients treated by West Virginia University Medicine between June 1, 2015-May 31, 2017. The pre and post law periods were defined as June 1, 2015-May 31, 2016 and June 1, 2016-May 31, 2017, respectively. Fireworks-related injuries were identified via International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification codes and by free text searches of the electronic medical records. The rate of injuries pre and post-legislation were compared by Exact Poisson Regressio...
European Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2010
During firework season in the UK (October-January), many patients present to emergency departments across the country with firework-related injuries. These seasonal injuries can vary from minor skin trauma to major burns, inhalation injuries and even death in some cases. Governments have tried to improve public awareness and safety with education using multi-million pound national safety campaigns as well as clamping down on fireworks both from within and outside of the EU which fail to meet safety standards. Despite these measures, fireworkrelated injuries are increasing (2005 census Royal Society of Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)). Reasons for this have been cited as new variations in firework design, antisocial behaviour and readily available cheap fireworks. The author conducted a retrospective study in the emergency department in Exeter from October 2006 to January 2007 highlighting 18 firework-related injuries. Of those, four patients needed referral to local burns centres and five needed admission for supportive treatment and specialty management. Prevention of firework injuries to the hand is of the utmost importance. It is hoped that an increase in public awareness will concentrate attention on precautionary measures to prevent these avoidable 'recreational' accidents. If and when accidents do occur, hand surgeons and therapists attempt to provide patients with the best possible return of hand function with a minimum disability and disfigurement. Further research together with national awareness is suggested to reduce these injuries, all for a tradition which can cost millions in healthcare and loss of earnings, but ultimately, it can cost peoples' lives.
International Journal of Forensic Medical Investigation, 2016
Firecrackers are explosives that differ in types and potency. They have the potential to cause devastating hand injuries. Blast related injuries from firecrackers have become increasingly frequent in our practice. The study involved a series of hand injury cases that had been managed in two hospitals from Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015 and was aimed at highlighting the patterns of devastating hand injuries to the dominant hands of young patients who might have sustained these injuries in the euphoria of celebrations.Commercially available fireworks are often erroneously regarded as harmless, compared to combat ammunition, but our experience demonstrates their real potential for devastating hand injuries.
The ten-year experience of firework injuries treated at a uk regional burns & plastic surgery unit
Annals of burns and fire disasters, 2018
Fireworks are used worldwide to celebrate national, religious, cultural festivals and holidays. However the use of fireworks is associated with preventable injuries. We aim to review cases of burns and trauma caused by fireworks presenting to a regional burns and plastic surgery unit in the United Kingdom. We hope our findings will help to guide future firework-related safety practices in the UK. A retrospective review was performed of all patients presenting to our tertiary burns and plastic surgery unit with burns and/or trauma sustained from fireworks over a ten-year period from October 2004 to October 2014. A total of 93 patients were identified. Medical case notes were reviewed, patient demographics, aetiology of injury, management and patient outcomes were recorded. A cohort of 93 patients with burn injuries caused by fireworks were identified from our database. A total of 74% injuries occurred in October and November. Mechanism of injury included contact, flash, flame burns a...
The Big Bang: Facial Trauma Caused by Recreational Fireworks
Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction, 2015
In the Netherlands, it is a tradition of setting off fireworks to celebrate the turn of the year. In our medical facility, each year patients with severe skeletal maxillofacial trauma inflicted by recreational fireworks are encountered. We present two cases of patients with severe blast injury to the face, caused by direct impact of rockets, and thereby try to contribute to the limited literature on facial blast injuries, their treatment, and clinical outcome. These patients require multidisciplinary treatment, involving multiple reconstructive surgeries, and the overall recovery process is long. The severity of these traumas raises questions about the firework traditions and legislations not only in the Netherlands but also worldwide. Therefore, the authors support restrictive laws on personal use of fireworks in the Netherlands.