FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Prevent Blindness
Whitney Anderson
Phone: (800) 301-2020 ext. 105
Email address: [email protected]
Prevent Blindness Warns Ohioans about the Dangers of Backyard Fireworks
-Leave Fireworks to the Professionals-
Cincinnati, OH (Aug. 30, 2018) – With the Riverfest Celebration in the Cincinnati area fast approaching, Prevent Blindness urges citizens to leave fireworks to the professionals and enjoy the Western & Southern/WEBN Fireworks Display on Sunday, Sept. 2.
Prevent Blindness would like to remind individuals that there is no safe way to use backyard fireworks and supports the development and enforcement of bans on the importation, sale and use of all fireworks and sparklers, except those used in authorized public displays by competent licensed operators. The non-profit group works with leading organizations to educate the public on the dangers of consumer fireworks and endorses legislation to help protect adults and children from needless injuries from fireworks.
Ohioans are urged NOT to use backyard fireworks because of the high fire danger and the risk of personal injury – specifically to young children – and the potential penalty for breaking Ohio’s fireworks law.
According to the 2017 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Fireworks Annual Report, 12,900 people were treated in emergency departments for firework-related injuries just last year. Injuries to children under the age of 15 accounted for 36 percent of the estimated firework-related injuries. Young adults 20 to 24 years of age had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated fireworks related injuries. The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers (an estimated 31 percent); head, face, and ears (an estimated 22 percent); legs (an estimated 17 percent); eyes (an estimated 14 percent or 1,800 eye injuries); trunk (an estimated 10 percent); and arms (an estimated 6 percent).
“Prevent Blindness supports a total BAN on consumer discharge of backyard fireworks, including sparklers, which are widely available at grocery and department stores,” said Sherry Williams, President & CEO of The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness. “Unfortunately, more and more states are going the route of legalization with dire consequences. Study results from Iowa, a state that experienced its first summer of legal consumer fireworks use in 2017, after a decades-long ban, show injuries due to backyard fireworks increased by 163% over the previous three-year average. In addition, 67% of Iowans were in favor of consumer fireworks before the ban was lifted and only 47% were in favor after,” added Williams.
Labor Day Weekend celebrations can still be fun without backyard fireworks or sparklers. By attending only fireworks shows run by licensed professionals, and being vigilant, we can celebrate with family and friends, not in the emergency room.
About Prevent Blindness
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to prevent blindness and preserve sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 800,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-301-2020. Or, visit us on the web at www.pbohio.org or facebook.com/pbohio and Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/PB_Ohio.
###
