Fireworks give great enjoyment to lots of Ballymena people but they are also very dangerous. Read this information below from the Northern Ireland Fire Service about Fireworks and Sparklers.
Photo Credit: Derek Key; Creative Commons
Sparklers
These are often viewed as being harmless but they do burn at fierce temperatures. To a young child,
the heat from a sparkler is equivalent to the heat from a welding torch.
• Never give sparklers to young children under five.
• Always wear gloves with sparklers, preferably leather ones.
• Hold it at arm’s length while an adult lights it for you.
• Never wave sparklers near someone else as you could burn them.
• Never hold a baby in your arms when you are holding a sparkler.
• When the sparkler has finished, put it into a bucket of cold water straight away and leave it there
Firework Safety Code
When buying fireworks, make sure they comply with BS 7114 or its European equivalent and are
clearly marked for their intended use “Indoor, Garden or Display”.
• Keep fireworks in a sealed box or tin.
• Use them one at a time, replacing the lid immediately.
• NEVER put fireworks in your pocket.
• Read the instructions carefully, using a torch or hand lamp. NEVER use a naked flame.
• Light fireworks at arm’s length using a taper or a firework lighter.
• Stand well back and NEVER return to a firework after it has been lit as it could explode in
your face.
• Always supervise children around fireworks.
• NEVER throw fireworks.
• Keep all pets and animals indoors.
• Take care of sparklers; wear gloves to hold them and dispose of sparklers in a bucket of water as
soon as they are finished.
• Don’t set off noisy fireworks late at night and never after 11pm.
Be safe and enjoy your fireworks this autumn without any unnecessary injuries.