Officials are cautioning Connecticut residents to exercise care while celebrating Independence Day to prevent accidents and injuries, which frequently coincide with the summer holiday.
Connecticut Child Advocate Sarah Eagan, the state’s child welfare watchdog, notes that drowning is the leading cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4.
“It can happen silently – it can also happen very quickly,” Eagan said at a pre-holiday press conference at Connecticut Children’s.
Eagan stresses that adults should keep vigilant around pools and bodies of water, and that those responsible for monitoring kids’ safety should do so while sober.
Fireworks are also a major concern, according to Kevin Borrup, executive director of Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center.
“Never allow children to handle fireworks, and keep children at a distance when you have those home fireworks displays,” Borrup said. “Children between the ages of 5 and 9 are more than twice as likely than other people to be injured by fireworks.”
Firework safety includes popular hand-held sparklers, which Borrup notes can reach 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and melt metal.
“Each year, emergency departments around the country see 1,100 injuries due to sparklers,” Borrup said. “Always supervise the use of these items. They should be holding them out, they shouldn’t be running around, they shouldn’t be playing with them.”
Borrup said the safest way to partake in fireworks over the holiday season is to attend professional displays instead of lighting them at home.
Another leading cause of death and injury is motor vehicle crashes, and intoxicated drivers cause a large portion of those collisions. Connecticut State Police Sgt. Luke Davis says there will be stepped-up enforcement this holiday weekend.
“Troopers will be out in full force,” Davis said. “In addition to regular patrols, there will be troopers also on overtime for DUI enforcement seeking erratic operators. Please keep this in mind wherever your plans may take you. Have a designated driver, use a ride-share program, or just stay in place.”
