June 20, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal: COLUMBUS, Ohio – This Fourth of July, the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) urges Ohioans to put safety first. Since 2022, unless prohibited by local laws, Ohioans have been able to legally discharge 1.4G consumer fireworks in Ohio on certain days throughout the year when the use follows the Ohio Fire Code’s discharge rules. According to SFM’s Fire Prevention Bureau, 128 fireworks-caused fire incidents occurred in Ohio in 2023, with 22 of those incidents resulting in residential building fires totaling nearly $700,000 in damages. So far in 2024, there have been 10 incidents involving fireworks causing almost $10,000 in losses. In addition, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were involved in more than 10,200 treated injuries in 2022, with injuries jumping by 25% between 2006 and 2022. Nearly half of all fireworks injuries are to bystanders, many of them children.

Fireworks are a staple when it comes to the 4th of July, but Emergency Room visits don't have to be a common practice. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 15,600 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for firework-related injuries in 2020.

Fireworks can be frightening to our furry friends, so it’s up to the pet owners to keep them safe. This means keeping them away from the fireworks, even if it’s something as small as a sparkler. And at the very least make sure the dog has its tag in case it runs off.