Chill Out Zone - Fireworks Facts
COOLFACTS - Fireworks
Twenty things you never knew about Fireworks
 1. The first fireworks were probably made in China, around 2,000 years ago.
2. Over 130 million fireworks were sold in Britain in 1995.
3. In the Far East, fireworks have been used at religious ceremonies for centuries.
4. Last year over 900 people required hospital treatment from accidents involving fireworks.
5. The word for firework in Japanese, 'hanabi', means 'fire-flower'.
6. The display in London at the 1995 VJ Day commemoration was Britain's biggest within living memory. It used over 18 tonnes of fireworks and spanned two miles.
7. Italy and France were the first European countries to have fireworks, in the 1300s.
8. At family back-garden displays, sparklers cause more injuries than air-bombs, bangers, rockets and roman candles combined.
9. The first recorded use of fireworks in Britain was at the wedding of Henry VII in 1486.
10. Half of all firework accidents happen to children under the age of 16.
11. The first fireworks recorded in America were set off by an Englishman, Captain John Smith, famous in the story of Pocahontas.
12. More than 60 under 5s went to hospital in 1997 following a firework accident.
13. Coloured fireworks didn't exist until the 1800s.
14. Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blow-torch.
15. The world's largest single firework was set off at a festival in Japan in 1988. The shell weighed over half a tonne and the burst was over a kilometre across.
16. Hands and eyes are most at risk in firework accidents.
17. A firecracker display in Malaysia in 1988 used over 3 million crackers, measured almost 6 kilometres and burned for over 9 hours - the longest display on record.
18. There is a British Safety Standard for fireworks: BS 7114.
19. Most firework accidents are caused at family back-garden displays closely followed by incidents in the street.
20. Throwing a firework in a street or public place is a criminal offence, with a maximum fine of £5000.
CAPTAIN COOL's Sparkler Facts
Sparklers, like other fireworks, must be used with care. They can get 6 times as hot as a pan of cooking oil and sparkler injuries have been on the increase. It makes sense to keep sparklers in safe hands.
Children and Sparklers
- Never give sparklers to the under 5's - they will not understand how to use them safely
- Always supervise children using sparklers
- Give children gloves to wear when holding sparklers
- Avoid dressing children in loose or flowing clothes - they may catch light
- Show children how to hold sparklers - away from their body and at arm's length
- Teach children not to wave sparklers near anyone else or run while holding them
In an emergency:
- Cool the burn or scald with cold water for at least 10 minutes.
- Cut around material sticking to the skin - don't pull it off.
- Don't touch the burn or burst any blisters.
- Cover the burn with clean, non-fluffy material - cling film is ideal - to prevent infection.
- If clothing catches fire, get the person to stop, drop to the floor and roll them in heavy material like a curtain.
- Get advice from your doctor or accident and emergency department at your local hospital.
FIREWORK CODE - before they explode read the code!
1. Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves
2. Never give sparklers to a child under 5
3. Buy fireworks marked BS 7114
4. Keep fireworks in a closed box
5. Follow the instructions on each firework
6. Light them at arm's length using a taper
7. Stand well back
8. Never go back to a lit firework
9. Never put fireworks in your pocket
10. Never throw fireworks
11. Keep pets indoors
PRINT OUT YOUR OWN FIREWORK SAFETY CODE LEAFLET
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