Three cheers for the USA and a great big Happy Birthday!
Monday we celebrate the 240th anniversary of the birth of our nation
– Independence Day 2016.There will be celebrations of all kinds; parades,
concerts, family get-togethers, barbecues, sporting events and fireworks.
Practically synonymous with the Fourth of July, fireworks
have long been a part of our Independence Day celebrations. As far back as
1777, Philadelphia put together a full day of festivities that included a
parade, dinner, music, musket salutes and
fireworks.
Fireworks are magical; explosions of bright colors, shapes
and sounds lighting up the night sky as young and old alike watch in awe. They
are the grand finale for the day’s celebrations. Fireworks are also dangerous. There you have it. The other shoe
just dropped.
Now before you roll your eyes at my keen grasp of the
obvious and think I’m looking at the glass half full, think about this: during
the 2014 calendar year, fireworks were involved in an estimated 10,500 injuries
treated in hospital emergency departments and almost 67 percent of those
occurred during a 30-day period surrounding the Fourth of July. Some of these
injuries resulted in deaths. (Consumer
Products Safety Commission) And according
to the National Fire Protection Agency, fireworks cause an estimated 15,600
reported fires in the U.S. in 2013 resulting in a number of injuries and
thousands of dollars in property damage.
It’s enough to put a little tarnish on the magic don’t you
think? But it doesn’t have to – JUST BE
SMART AND BE SAFE! A celebration is no time to cut corners on safety.
Remember, it’s only fun until someone gets hurt. Leave things to the
professionals.
And, amidst all the festivities, please take a few minutes to
remember the real reason we celebrate
this day – our freedom and all of those who fought and still fight to preserve
it.
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Posted
by MJ Thomas
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