Tulsa firefighter says sparklers are among the most dangerous fireworks you could hand a child

Speaking with experts at EMSA and the Tulsa Fire Department, one message comes through clearly on the topic of fireworks safety - never take your eyes off of the kids.

Bret Smith is a paramedic who’s in charge of continuing education for his EMSA co-workers.

“The biggest thing is obviously having adult supervision at all times,” he told KRMG. “Treat it exactly like you would with children, small children around a pool or a lake - a body of water where some, you know, may not know what to do with swimming. Same concept - always have that adult supervision. Don’t let kids get ahold of them, keep them locked up and out of their hands if at all possible.”

Tulsa firefighter Andy Little says even fireworks some believe are intended for small kids are extremely dangerous.

A good example is sparklers, which Little says burn at extremely high temperatures.

“Sparklers burn at 1,200 degrees Farenheit, and when you put that into context, glass melts at 900 degrees,” Little told KRMG Wednesday. “When you reach temperatures like 1,200 degrees, your skin doesn’t have a chance.”

“Parents, we see often, will hand sparklers to small children because seemingly, they’re not dangerous,” Little said, “when in fact we have more injuries from sparklers than we do other fireworks.”

In 2023, hospitals around the country reported about 9,700 patients admitted due to fireworks-related injuries; about one third of the patients admitted were minors.

Especially for small children, experts urge parents to consider glow sticks as a substitute for sparklers.

In general, watching professionally staged fireworks shows is about the safest way to enjoy fireworks during holiday celebrations.