Kids and Fireworks do not mix

[monster]

All Brits know this. Why in the fuck were the kids lighting the fireworks tonight? And going back to them within seconds if they didn't start as expected? And having no shoes? And lighting them in the street? And picking them up to douse them while they were still sputtering... and... and... and.... I can't believe no-one was hurt. They were throwing "poppers" at the kids lighting the frewirks too. We left. I guess that's one way of showing your independance from Brit rule...... /Darwinisminaction

[Perry Winkle]

The kids lit our fireworks from the time we were "old enough." That is old enough to safely and responsibly play with fire. We started out with strict adult supervision, and eventually were left to our own devices when we proved our trustworthiness.

[zippyt]

I was allowed to lite fire works young ,
then when I got older was given Whole grosses of bottle rockets and told to have fun ,
But this from the Mom who used to shoot at us with Roman candles

[monster]

Playing with fire is generally irresponsible. But fire is reasonably predictable. Fireworks are not. They are often poorly made and don't perform as expected. And even the best behaves and most sensiblt kids fuck up royally at critical momnet, becaus they're kids.

Tonight I saw kids leaning over fireworks as they lit them, and I saw kids aged 11 and 9 with expensive (illegal in MI) mortar fireworks with no shoes and ...oh wait... actually no parent on site..... setting off two fireworks each at the same time except not actaully....., so one started fireworking while the other kid was still lighting his....

[Bullitt]

Job security. Heh.

But really though, kids will be kids. They don't really understand how dangerous some of that stuff can be. The parents are the first step to responsible fireworks handling by kids.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by Bullitt

Job security. Heh.

But really though, parents will be idiots. They don't really understand how dangerous some of that stuff can be. Losing an eye is the first step to responsible fireworks handling by kids.

Minor corrections.

[Bullitt]

Can't argue with that either

[DanaC]

Every year as we approach Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night as it's also known) the tv is full of warning ads showing the dangers of fireworks. Schools have fire safety officers come around to give talks about the dangers of fireworks. We have it drilled into us from a young age, that fireworks are dangerous and should only be lit by adults.

Still every year some kids get hurt by fireworks.

Me, I am terrified of fucking fireworks and always have been. Not helped by the fact that Mum was seriously hurt by one when she was a kid. A rocket was lit and the milk bottle it was propped in fell over and it shot right into her stomach. I inherited her nerves around them :p

[footfootfoot]

When I was in my 20s I safely (so I thought) lit a firework that was supposed to helicopter up to a height of 20 or 30 feet and make a beautiful shower of colorful sparks.

Instead, about a third of a nano second after I lit the fuse (and before I could get more than four feet away) the firework shot up to about my eye level and promptly blew up with a report as loud as an Ash Can (type of firework)

I couldn't hear anything for about 20 minutes and the flash was so bright I couldn't see for almost an hour.

Ash Can, Silver Salute, M-80:

M80 - The original M80 was a military simulator that was sold as a firecracker. M80s are red in color, one and one-half inches long, 5/8 of an inch in diameter, with a green waterproof fuse sticking out the side. It contained two grams of flash powder and was responsible for hundreds of serious injuries due to its powerful blast. These items were banned by the CPSC in 1966, and made illegal by the BATF (now ATFE) in the 1970's. Legal M80's today contain 50 milligrams of flash powder, which is about 1/40th of the original M80. Illegal M80's sometimes contain compositions that are sensitive to shock and can injure of kill people. If you like having full use of your fingers, hands, and eyes, don't mess with illegal M80's.

http://www.fireworksalliance.org/cgi....pl?p=glossary

[wolf]

Guy I know's brother messed around with making homemade M-80s after the ban ... didn't know much about fusing, or mixed up the quick and slow fuses like The Producers ... anyway ... my friend, who was around 10, had his right hand blown off by one of those things.

(and yes, I also knew a guy who had his eye put out with a bb gun)

[infinite monkey]

Let us all take a lesson from Jimmy, shall we? It really is all in fun until someone loses the aforementioned eye.

http://www.amazon.com/Follow-My-Lead...p/0140364854#_

(I must've read this book 10 times in elementary school.)

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by DanaC

...A rocket was lit and the milk bottle it was propped in fell over and it shot right into her stomach. ...

Through which opening?

[Undertoad]

the tv is full of warning ads showing the dangers of fireworks

I swear I say this every year:

Because every year there is the Annual Airing of the Fireworks Safety Demonstration, in which a large piece of fruit or mannequin hand is blown up by Important Officials using dangerous fireworks, to show everybody how dangerous they are. And so, every year watching it, millions of kids say "Awesome!! Where can we get some of that and blow shit up!!"

[monster]

We used to get subjected to pictures of real maimed kids from a very young age. Worked for me. My nurse friend was on duty last night and reported a 5yo was brought in with a firework in the eye injury. The 5yo had been lighting it. WTF?

[wolf]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

Let us all take a lesson from Jimmy, shall we? It really is all in fun until someone loses the aforementioned eye.

http://www.amazon.com/Follow-My-Lead...p/0140364854#_

(I must've read this book 10 times in elementary school.)

One of my childhood favorites as well.