Minnesota Physicians Advise Leaving Fireworks to the Professionals

Minnesota’s physicians are asking Minnesotans to practice good health by leaving the lighting of fireworks to the professionals this Fourth of July.

“Every year many Minnesotans get hurt and end up in the emergency department because of fireworks injuries,” said Minnesota Medical Association President Keith Stelter, MD. “We’d prefer that they leave these potentially very dangerous explosives to the professionals.”

According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, nearly 200 people go to the emergency department every day with fireworks-related injuries in the two weeks leading up to the July 4th holiday and the two weeks following.

Fireworks were involved in an about 9,100 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments during 2018. Injuries occur to all body parts and not just hands and fingers. The most devastating injuries occur to the head and eyes with blindness and facial trauma.

In May, the MMA launched Practice Good Health, a unified effort of its 10,000 physician members to empower Minnesota families to proactively care for their physical and emotional well-being, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Practice Good Health provides patient clarity and directly supports Minnesota physicians to create the safest possible care environments and experiences.