Fireworks for sale here, but not 'the good ones'

Dr. Stephanie Joyce, the trauma medical director at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, has seen a number of serious injuries caused by Fourth of July fireworks.

“People have lit off fireworks in enclosed spaces and used accelerants to increase the burn,” she said Tuesday. “Which has led to significant ― 80 percent ― burns to their bodies.”

A burn that size is about equal to a person having every part of their body burnt except for their face, Joyce said. In the case of one particular incident, she thinks alcoholic beverages were involved.

That would not be surprising. Across the United States, a successful Fourth of July celebration is often measured by its abundances of fireworks, beer and grilled meats.

But, when combined, alcohol consumption and fireworks can put residents at a higher risk of fireworks injuries ― even given Connecticut’s strict laws on what kinds of fireworks they can legally possess.

Those laws make it illegal to possess explosives or aerial fireworks, like Roman candles or M-80s, according to Waterford Police Chief Marc Balestracci. Instead, they allow sparklers or fountains containing less than one hundred grams of pyrotechnic mixture per item, he added.

‘ We can’t sell those’

Sparklers and fountains are readily available at most supermarkets, along with several roadside fireworks stands in the area. At those stands, white tents are typically adorned with bright red or yellow signs that beckon passersby inside with the promise of a variety of fireworks, within the constraints of the law.

At one such stand, operated by Lancaster, Pa.-based Keystone Fireworks, at the Oak Tree Plaza in Norwich, employee Michael Burges sat through an early afternoon lull in business.

Local resident Desiree Hollingsworth came into the tent and asked Burges ― “Where are the good ones?”

Burges said it’s a popular question among customers at the tent, which only contains ground fountains and sparklers ranging from about $10 to hundreds of dollars.

“If you’re talking about the ones that shoot into the air, we can’t sell those here in Connecticut,” Burges tells customers.

The tent does carry a limited amount of ground spinners, he said, which shoot out sparks and whistle as they spin on the ground. But even those are limited because they can be construed as dangerous, he said.

Joyce said there are still risks, even with “safe” fireworks because they can still reach temperatures of several thousand degrees and cause second- or third-degree burns.

Balestracci agreed that those kinds of fireworks should be used responsibly, and with consideration to neighbors and the time of day.

Each year around the Fourth of July, the department responds to a variety of complaints related to fireworks in town, he said. The department last year responded to 18 calls regarding fireworks.

“Use of any fireworks can be dangerous if not handled properly, risking injury or unintentional fire,” Balestracci said. “We hope that residents ensure they are using only approved sparkles or fountains, have adults present when using them and can keep them away from structures, using and discarding in open space.”

Joyce added that people should also never hold fireworks after they have been lit, and that they should light them away from other fireworks, so those don’t accidentally catch on fire.

“Fireworks can kind of cause a whole host of injuries,” Joyce said. “And usually a lot of them are quite minor. A lot of times we’ll see minor burns that only require treatment with some pain medicine or creams.”

But sometimes they can also cause significant injuries, she said, including blindness, serious burns, loss of fingers or even an entire hand if they explode while being held. That’s where trauma surgeons like herself have to get involved.

“We want everyone to enjoy their Fourth of July and celebrate,” Joyce said. “But just do it in a safe way, because you won’t have an enjoyable holiday if you or your loved one gets injured and has to spend it in the emergency department.”

A bigger bang

Balestracci said his police department urges residents to leave aerial and explosive fireworks to the professionals.

If residents do happen to be craving a bigger bang, they can look to annual fireworks shows in the area, including one at the Norwich marina on Friday and fireworks at Sailfest in New London on July 13.

Miria Gray, part of the Norwich Events Organization that handles the marina fireworks, said residents show up with high expectations, and so the city’s annual show comes with a lot of pressure to impress.

“We hold our breath every year,” she said Tuesday. “We’re listening to the crowd to see what they think. Obviously, we’re hoping they have a great reception.”

“But you know, you’re never going to make everybody happy,” she added. “But as long as the people standing next to the harbor are ‘ooh-ing and ahh-ing,’ then it’s a good show.”

This year’s show costs about $45,000 between the fireworks, rental of portable toilets and insurance. Activities at Brown Park start at 5 p.m., and the show starts at 9 p.m. and lasts 20 to 25 minutes.

A contingent of Norwich police, about 15 to 20 officers from other departments, and members of the fire department and Coast Guard will be on scene.

The cost for this year’s show is more than double what the marina shows cost before the COVID-19 pandemic, Gray said, because U.S. sanctions against China have made them unable to purchase their fireworks from sources in that country.

“This is our largest event of the year, cost-wise and attendance,” Gray said. “Mostly because of, everybody wants to see the fireworks.”

The show is anticipated to draw about 2,000 to 3,000 people.

Sedatives offer solution to scared pets

Whether residents go to view fireworks or have them in their backyard, Dr. Casey Pacheco, an associate veterinarian at Norwichtown Veterinary Hospital, said the sound can put pets or livestock on edge.

“We don’t want people to not enjoy fireworks, but it can be a real stressor,” she said.

“It can be really scary for owners and pets, to the points where we’ve had animals break through windows or eat through walls,” Pacheco said. “They just try to hide or get away. So they can really hurt themselves if you have animals that have a severe sound or noise aversion.”

In the presence of loud fireworks or thunderstorms, animals can start shaking, trying to hide, panting or having diarrhea, she said.

“It’s a rough time of year for us as veterinarians and owners sometimes, because they’re just so nervous. And we just sort of see the aftermath for these owners and pets,” she said.

Pacheco said her veterinary office, which has received a lot of calls recently about fireworks, recommends a few different options to deal with fireworks this time of year. The main solution they recommend is oral sedatives for pets.

“We have owners calling to get sedatives to prepare for this whole week,” she said.

The sedatives, which she said can cost between $50 to $80 at her office, can help relax the animals. Others are available online or at pet stores.

“It’s like having a (medical) procedure and your doctor prescribes a Valium,” Pacheco said.

Her office recommends keeping animals as confined as possible, either in a crate or small room, and to keep the TV or radio volume high so animals don’t hear the noise as much.

d.drainville@theday.com