July 3, 2008 Fireworks best left to professionals Physicians available this afternoon to share tips for a safe 4th of July St. Paul, Minn., - Fireworks are unpredictable. They can be dangerous and they can be deadly. Fireworks sent 13 people celebrating the Fourth of July in Minnesota to Regions Hospital in 2007. Fireworks victims visit the emergency room with torn fingers, powder burns, and injuries to their eyes and eardrums. "The best advice I can give is to simply not light the fuse," says William Mohr, M.D., medical director of the Regions Hospital Burn Center. "Once the fuse is lit, anything can happen. And that goes for firecrackers, bottle rockets, even sparklers." Across the nation and in the Upper Midwest, fireworks cause thousands of injuries to hands, eyes and ears each year. And while children ages 10 to 14 are of the greatest risk to suffer fireworks-related burns and injuries, bystanders are not immune to the dangers of fireworks. Dr. Mohr recommends viewing fireworks at community presentations organized by professionals. In these settings, people are close enough to enjoy the presentation, yet far enough away to maintain their safety. Physicians are available after 1:30 p.m. today to provide tips for a safe Fourth of July. Contact Regions media team at 651-629-0411 to arrange an interview. Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and teaching hospital serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 130 years. Regions is a private, non-profit hospital providing outstanding care in womens health, heart, cancer, surgery, orthopaedics, neurosciences, burn, emergency care and more. Regions is part of the HealthPartners family of care. Additional information is available at regionshospital.com. Jennifer Kovacich (651) 629-0411 pager Andrea Ahneman (651) 254-4731 |
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