The Fourth of July is a time for celebrating our nation’s independence, but it can quickly turn tragic. In fact, they’re banned in quite a few areas of Washington state.
Each year, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle sees about 55 people come in with injuries from fireworks.
“We’re going to see a lot of people who completely changed their lives because they made one simple, bad decision and now either they’ve lost a hand, they’ve lost their eyes, they’ve lost another appendage, or worse,” says Dr. Arvin Akhavan, an emergency medicine physician at UW Medicine.
Firework injuries can range from simple burns to amputations of arms or other extremities.
They say the most common patients they get are men and teenage boys.
“It’s the teenager are the ones that are really hard because it tends to be these young men predominantly who are using fireworks and really not aware that that split second decision that they make playing with their friends, playing with fireworks, kind of the moment of adrenaline where they’re shooting a firework off is then going to change the entire course of the rest of their life,” says Dr. Chelsea Boe, an orthopedic surgeon with UW Medicine.
She believes the safest thing you can do is to stay away from personal fireworks. She recommends going to watch a professional fireworks display instead. And if you do light fireworks, do so from a safe distance and don’t light them in your hands.
“I don’t think there really is such a thing as a safe firework, to be totally honest. I think one that you’re watching from afar is probably the safest firework that there is, but anything you’re directly handling and involved with, you’re taking a risk,” she says.
Where can I light off fireworks in WA?
The discharge of fireworks is always illegal in any city, county, or Washington state park, on federal land, on public property and streets, sidewalks, parking lots, or school property, and on private property without permission.
King County
Setting off your own fireworks is prohibited in unincorporated areas of King County, including East Renton, Fairwood, Federal Way, Skyway and White Center.
Kitsap County
Fireworks are allowed in unincorporated parts of Kitsap County on July 4 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Bremerton residents can light off fireworks from 11 a.m. on July 3 to midnight on July 4.
Port Orchard residents may discharge fireworks on July 4 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Fireworks are illegal for those living on Bainbridge Island.
Pierce County
Fireworks are allowed for unincorporated Pierce County on July 4 between 10 a.m. and midnight.
People in Puyallup can light them on July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Lakewood residents can light them on July 4 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
They’re illegal for Crystal Mountain, Fircrest, Gig Harbor, JBLM, Ruston, Steilacoom, and Tacoma.
Snohomish County
Fireworks are illegal in Arlington, Bothell, Brier, Edmonds, Everett, Gold Bar, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Woodway, and in unincorporated Southwest Snohomish County.
They can legally be set off on July 4 from 9 a.m. to midnight in Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Monroe, and Snohomish.
For those living in Darrington and Stanwood, you can light fireworks during the following time frames:
- June: 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- June 29 to July 3: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- July 4: 9 a.m. to midnight
- July 5: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For those living in Sultan, you can light fireworks during the following time frames:
- July 3: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- July 4: 9 a.m. to midnight
- July 5: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Thurston County
It’s illegal to buy and light fireworks in Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater.
Whatcom County
Fireworks are allowed during the following time frames for unincorporated Whatcom County:
- July 3: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- July 4: 6 p.m. to midnight
- July 5: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
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