Fireworks!

Grandson Chris, 11, had the misfortune to be involved in a fireworks accident a few days ago.

He was visiting a friend, planning to stay overnight. The two boys were lighting some small fireworks - I'm not sure of the name of this particular one but they whirl around and around, shooting sparks out as they whirl. Sometimes they hop up and down or move forward as they whirl. As fireworks go, this is a fairly innocent item when used properly.

Chris' friend's grandfather was supervising the boys closely. They were standing away from the fireworks. They were handling the fireworks responsibly.

In other words, they were following all the rules and doing everything exactly right.

However, after lighting this particular item, it took off, flew up and hit Chris in the neck. He grabbed it to get it off his neck and in the process he also burned his right hand.

This could have been so much worse. The fireworks could have hit him in the face or eyes, or it could have become lodged under his shirt, so there is much for which to be thankful.

This truly was an accident. There was no neglect, no disregarding the safety rules, the boys had perfect supervision - and yet it still happened. There is always that unknown factor that cannot be controlled: Was there a slight wind gust that blew the fireworks toward him? Did it hit a rock that tilted it toward him? There's no way to know exactly why the accident happened.

There are, however, some things you can do to better your chances of avoiding a fireworks accident.

1. Read all instructions on all fireworks and know and understand how they are to be used. Do not use them in any way other than instructed.

2. This is sort of a DUH! - Do not smoke while handling fireworks.

3. Always use fireworks in an open area.

4. Check on the wind direction and speed. Another DUH! - Don't set off fireworks in strong winds.

5. Have a bucket of water close by and/or have the garden hose turned on and readily available in case something goes astray. It wouldn't hurt to have a fire extinguisher handy either.

6. Do not put fireworks, like fountains, on grass. If you must put it on a lawn, first lay down a piece of plywood.

7. Do not wear loose clothing. One person told me she knew of an incident where some fireworks went up under someone's blouse. You may think it sounds funny - until it happens to you.

8. Wear non-flammable clothing such as cotton. Never wear clothing made from nylon or polyester (I'm guessing these products might melt onto the skin if hit by burning fireworks). Always wear long pants and always wear shoes - no flip-flops, no sandals.

9. Wear safety glasses or goggles. Regular glasses provide little or no protection.

10. For years we thought sparklers were the proper fireworks for our small children. Who knew they burn as hot as 2,000 degrees F.? We were very lucky they never suffered anything more than a burned finger tip.

11. NEVER attempt to relight duds. Wait 30 minutes and then drop them into a bucket of
water.

12. Another DUH! moment: Never dispose of the duds in your fireplace or a bonfire.

Follow all the safety rules you can find, including those that come with the fireworks. However, understand that even then you may have a freak accident and get hurt.

Finally, perhaps the best advice is to forego the fireworks at home and go to displays put on by organizations or companies.

Have a happy Fourth of July -- and a very safe one.

Be careful!

Be careful is not just an idle warning.

No matter what part of town you live in, you need to be cautious about coming home late at night, leaving doors open or unlocked, or answering your door after a reasonable hour at night.

Last Friday night this was brought home to me in a very real way.

I was at my son's home using his computer. His office is just inside the front door. It was 9 o'clock.

Someone knocked on the door (even though there is a doorbell) and I called out to my son, who was in the family room watching TV, that someone was at the door. I didn't think much about it, assuming it was probably a friend stopping by that late.

When my son didn't come right away, I stepped to the door and opened it. The front porch light was already on. There was a man standing not on the porch, where you would expect a visitor to stand, but he was standing back on the grass, just out of the light so it was hard to see him.

He asked me if I was the woman of the house and I replied I was not.

You know how you sometimes just have a feeling that something isn't right? That's how I felt. I can't say the hairs on my neck stood up or that I had any outward sign, other than something just felt wrong about this man.

About that time my son came around the corner of the hallway. He stepped outside to see what the man wanted.

The man wanted to clean carpets and he said they would be dry in 45 minutes. My son looked up and down the street but couldn't see any sign of a vehicle. He told the man to go on, he wasn't interested.

After thinking about it a couple minutes, my son called the police and gave them a description of the man. They had received another call about this individual.

As I ponder the situation, I wonder if this man saw my vehicle parked in front of the house and took a chance on my being the babysitter and no other adults at home. What would have happened had I been here alone?

This just reinforces the fact we all need to be more vigilant. I am not frightened but I also don't intend to be stupid. When someone knocks late at night, look out a window to make sure you know who is there. If you don't recognize them, call the police. Don't worry about feeling foolish if it turns out to be nothing.

The main thing is, trust your instincts.

Exploding Pyrex

Safety alert:

I received an e-mail this morning about Pyrex cookware exploding. It was one of those usual forwards we all get, so before I jumped to the conclusion this e-mail was a bunch of nonsense, I turned to my truth-seekers, Snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/

It turns out this is totally true. I'm not going to reprint the e-mail here, because it is quite lengthy, but if you own glass cookware, you owe it to yourself and your family to go to Snopes and read the complete e-mail and the Snopes answer to it.

As you read it you'll discover that if you have some of Grandma's Pyrex in your kitchen, hang on to it. The really old items may be a lot safer than the new.