Overland Park woman talks importance of fireworks safety after injury

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — With the Fourth of July only a couple days away, safety is top of mind for many people. Especially when it comes to fireworks.

Alise Willson, a University of Kansas student and Overland Park resident was severely injured in a fireworks accident last year on the Fourth of July.

Willson and her family are using her experience to raise awareness about the importance of safety when it comes to fireworks.

“On the Fourth of July last year, I was at my lake house at the Lake of the Ozarks, and my friends and I decided to go to the backyard and shoot some fireworks over the water, and we were all holding roman candles and the one I was holding exploded in my hand,” Alise Willson explained.

Alise was rushed to the emergency room. She had to get 30 stitches. The incident left her with four fractures in her right hand.

“I was in a cast for about two months, and then I had to go to occupational therapy for 3 to 4 months so that it would completely recover,” Willson explained.

Ahead of Independence Day, Willson and her family want to spread awareness about fireworks safety.

“It was extremely traumatic for our entire family and heartbreaking, really. She was off to her freshman year at KU, and she had a cast and had to come back to Kansas City multiple times for appointments and ended up doing occupational therapy for quite a while,” Alise’s mother, Robin Willson, explained.

“And thank goodness she’s fully recovered now. I think the message from our family is really simple-Enjoy fireworks, but just keep them out of your hands.”

According to the National Safety Council, every year, thousands of people are injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworks-related incidents.

“I understand fireworks are really fun, but just don’t hold them when you’re shooting them off because you never know if you’re going to be the one holding the dud firework,” Alise said.

Some of the NSC’s fireworks safety tips include:

• Wear protective eyewear if you’re using or standing near fireworks.
• Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands or attempt to relight any that are malfunctioning.

For a complete list of safety tips, see here .

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