FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — The community is gearing up to celebrate a major milestone this weekend: America’s 250th birthday!<\/p>\n
Briana Johnson says her family goes all out every year.<\/p>\n
“We always do it big anyway. Fireworks, food and just being with family is just very important,” Johnson said.<\/p>\n
Her family will have plenty of fireworks this weekend, but lighting them off can be dangerous for children.<\/p>\n
Kristina Pasma with Valley Children’s Hospital says the trauma center is prepared for emergencies and reminds parents to be extra vigilant.<\/p>\n
“With things like sparklers, parents assume they are safe, but they can get as hot as 1200 degrees, which can melt glass, so imagine that on your skin, in your eye. So, we get some pretty significant burns in kids from fireworks,” said Pasma.<\/p>\n
Pasma says injuries to children are always heartbreaking.<\/p>\n
Last year, the hospital treated 11 children for burn injuries around the Fourth of July holiday.<\/p>\n
She also reminds parents that pools, rivers, and lakes can be dangerous, noting that drownings are often silent and happen quickly.<\/p>\n
“Specifically, this year we have seen a very large number of drownings, so active adult supervision with fireworks or swimming,” said Pasma.<\/p>\n
Johnson says she keeps a close eye on her boys and takes precautions.<\/p>\n
“I have two boys and they are boys! We have to make sure that they are not touching all the stuff that they are not supposed to touch,” said Johnson, “I always make sure there is a bucket of water somewhere, and I always make sure that my husband is the one who is lighting it.”<\/p>\n
Pasma says there are safe ways to include children in the celebration, such as giving them glow sticks instead of sparklers.<\/p>\n
“We want to celebrate, it’s fun but we want to celebrate safely, we don’t want to celebrate in the emergency room, we don’t want to celebrate in any of our trauma centers, even though they gave great care,” said Pasma.<\/p>\n
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