"Summer of Safety" Warning: Keep Kids Safe From Fireworks This Independence Day
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Fireworks and celebrations go together, especially during the Fourth of July. However, fireworks can turn a celebration into a painful memory when improper use of fireworks results in a trip to the emergency room.
Children are especially susceptible to incurring fireworks-related injuries. Of the more than 4,000 fireworks-related injuries to children under 14 each year, the majority occur in the month surrounding the Fourth of July, with older kids (typically 10- to 14-year-olds) suffering the most injuries. Sparklers (often considered the safest fireworks), rockets and firecrackers are responsible for the bulk of fireworks-related injuries.
"Many parents and caregivers overestimate their child's ability to handle fireworks, creating a dangerous situation for everyone involved," said Dr. Ernest Leva, Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. "They may not realize the devastating consequences of fireworks, including injuries to the hands, eyes or head that can sometimes result in amputations, loss of vision or even death."
The children's hospital, together with SAFE KIDS Middlesex County and the Level One Trauma Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, selected this public health issue to kick off its "Summer of Safety," a series of public service campaigns that will raise awareness about preventing childhood injuries associated with the summer months.
"All firework activity in New Jersey is illegal, including purchasing them," said Lieutenant William Krause of the East Brunswick Police Department. "We encourage residents to leave firework use to the professionals, especially because most fireworks that are purchased by adults are used irresponsibly and often leave children with injuries."
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Selected as one of four hospitals nationwide to offer the world's first self-contained implantable artificial heart, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.rwjuh.edu) is a 600-bed academic medical center and the principal hospital of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ. Robert Wood Johnson is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care in medicine. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, and women's and children's care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). The hospital is also a Level 1 Trauma Center and serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
The hospital has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for both heart and heart surgery and respiratory disorders, according to U.S.News & World Report's 2008 ranking of "America's Best Hospitals." The American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer has rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital among the nation's best comprehensive cancer centers. The Leapfrog Group rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the 50 exceptional U.S. hospitals, as published in Consumers Digest magazine. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is also a recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence for more than 10 consecutive years.
Attention members of the media: For more information on this release, please contact the Department of Public Relations (732) 937-8521.
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