Each year around this time, the Colorado Springs police and fire departments issue warnings about the illegality and potential danger of lighting fireworks. Doctors and hospital staffers routinely advise Coloradans to celebrate the Fourth of July responsibly and safely.

But in the coming days, hundreds of residents will light firecrackers, skyrockets and sparklers. And some of those people will end up in Matt Angelidis’ emergency room.

“Most of us were raised with the understanding that fireworks are to be enjoyed on the Fourth of July,” said Angelidis, UCHealth’s emergency services medical director. “But the reality is that they are explosives. They are dangerous.”

In 2023, U.S. emergency departments treated about 6,400 people for firework injuries from June 16 to July 16, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. When compared with the number of U.S. residents who celebrate the Independence Day season with fireworks, that may not seem like a huge number, Angelidis concedes.

“If there are 100 families in Colorado Springs using fireworks, chances are that only one of them will have a medical emergency,” he said. “You may go your entire lifetime shooting off fireworks and never see anyone get hurt.”

“But if you come hang out at Memorial Central in the trauma rooms, you’ll see all the people who didn’t handle the fireworks with the respect they deserve.”

Burns are the most common firework injury, according to national safety data. But Angelidis has seen a variety of blast-related trauma, much of it suffered by children, he said.

“I’ve seen children with permanent vision loss from firework burns, lost fingers from holding on to a firework too long, kids who have burned their eyes and mouth with sparklers. A lot of times we think we’re playing with a toy, and the fact is that fireworks aren’t toys.”

Angelidis and the emergency staff at UCHealth Memorial Hospital offer tips for residents who are determined to celebrate with fireworks regardless of the warnings:

– Never allow young children to play with fireworks, including sparklers.

“Sparklers burn at over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit,” Angelidis said. “If you touch a lit sparkler, you’re going to sustain a burn. Also, those little sticks have a way of ending up in mouths and eyes.”

– Never mix alcohol and fireworks.

“People like to drink on the Fourth of July. It’s a day of celebration, and understandably so,” the emergency doctor said. “But when you mix alcohol and fireworks, you get poor reflexes and poor judgment. That’s a dangerous combination.”

– Water is your friend.

“If you do light fireworks, make sure you have a bucket of water or a hose nearby, so can get to it quickly in case of a mishap.”

The best way to avoiding injuries or other firework-related accidents is to leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals, officials said.

“Fireworks are awesome to watch,” Angelidis said. “But the best and safest way to watch them is from a distance.”