Thousands Injured by Fireworks Each Year

About nine-thousand people a year in the U.S. are treated for fireworks-related injuries during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. About a third of those injuries were to children and about half of them were burns. Jim Carroll with the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet says even minor fireworks such sparklers can be dangerous, especially when handled by small children."Sparklers burn at 2000 degrees and they can cause serious burns. For a small child, you just don’t want to take that chance," says Carroll.Carroll says most types of fireworks are banned in Kentucky, including firecrackers and Roman candles. He recommends families go to a fireworks show conducted by professionals.