Every Fourth of July, people celebrate our nation’s freedom with cookouts, cold drinks, and backyard games. There are also flashes in the sky from fireworks big and small. Folks in Ventura County will view streaming lights and bright sparkles from the mountains down to the coastline.
This Independence Day will be filled with great moments with family and friends, but safety shouldn’t be forgotten as we handle what are essentially small explosives. They can be beautiful and majestic, but fireworks require care and caution to make sure every celebration goes off without an injury.
Ventura County 2021 Firework Plans:
Fireworks will arc towards the sky from many backyards and there will also be plenty of big, booming light shows in several local cities.
- Moorpark may be one of the first to light the fuse. Their celebratory concerts and fireworks show is scheduled for July 3rd at Arroyo Vista Community Park.
- The City of Camarillo will launch fireworks near the Premium Outlets parking lot on July 4th. You can park and view at the outlets or in the surrounding area.
- Thousand Oaks will launch a fireworks spectacular at Janss Marketplace on Independence Day. The fireworks will take off from above CRPD’s Hillcrest Center. You can view it all from local spots including Janss Marketplace, Hillcrest Drive, and Moorpark Road.
- Over in Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara is tentatively planning a return of their traditional fireworks show over the waterfront. Check their city government page for official word and times.
Injuries Fireworks Can Cause:
Viewing a public fireworks show put on by professionals should keep your family and friends safe, but if you fire off some of your own displays it’s important to know the dangers.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that in 2019, fireworks were involved with an estimated 10,000 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. 36% of those fireworks mishaps that caused injuries were suffered by children. 2018 saw 9,100 firework injuries.
Victims experienced many different types of injuries but there are some body parts and types of injuries that were more commonly seen:
- Hands and fingers – Around 30% of the injuries reported across the nation included damage taken to the hand. Children should never handle explosive fireworks. They can often forget to release a firework or fail to stay far enough back from an explosion.
- Legs – 23% of the injuries documented were inflicted on the lower body.
- Head and face – Victims suffered 16% of the injuries on the face and head including ear damage.
- Eyes – Eye protection is a must for anyone in charge of launching fireworks. It’s a good idea for those closely viewing fireworks too. 15% of firework injuries reported in 2019 involved eye damage.
- Burns – Over 40% of those 10,000 injuries recorded in 2019 involved a burn injury of some sort.
- Contusions and lacerations – Bruising and cuts from the impact of an errant firework and other mishaps were also common injuries experienced by victims.
Contact a Ventura County Fireworks Accident Lawyer
The Fourth of July should be about fun sights and great food. However, if you or a family member are injured during a fireworks show due to the negligence of someone else, you should talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer.
Whether it’s a public fireworks event or a smaller show on someone’s property, it’s important to make sure you don’t get stuck with the extreme costs of recovery. The city itself or a property owner who had a duty to keep visitors safe should be held accountable for any injury. A fireworks malfunction can even leave a fireworks manufacturer liable for any pain a product causes.