COLUMBUS – The celebration of America’s declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776 is being celebrated in its full glory for the first time since 2019 in Columbus and many parts of the nation, due to the pandemic.
The “Red, White & Boom!” fireworks display is expected to draw about a half million visitors downtown Friday, the largest single-day event in the city.
Detectives from the Columbus Division of Police Special Victims Bureau will staff five missing-person booths beginning at 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Parents can pick up ID bracelets and complete a quick registration form to help police quickly reunite children with parents in the event they become separated. They are also encouraged to take a digital photograph of their child in the clothing they are wearing to the event and store the photograph on their cell phone or a thumb drive.
See a list of community fireworks displays and Independence Day celebrations
Dublin’s annual community-wide Independence Day Celebration is scheduled for Monday, beginning at 8:00 a.m. with the 36th Annual Sherm Sheldon Fishing Derby at Avery Park Pond and continuing with a downtown parade at 11:00 a.m. in Downtown Dublin.
The day’s events conclude at Dublin Coffman High School with evening performances headlined by the lead singer of Rascal Flatts, Gary LeVox, and a fireworks show presented by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center beginning at 9:50 p.m.
Fireworks legal, but still risky
This is the first Fourth of July celebration when Ohioans can legally discharge consumer fireworks under a new law. Fireworks can be discharged on certain days, except where banned or restricted by local governments.
Consumer fireworks include firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles and fountains and are not as powerful as commercial pyrotechnics but even toys already allowed under Ohio law are still dangerous.
“Sparklers, for example, will burn at about 2,000 degrees, which is the equivalent of a blowtorch, we see a lot of eye injuries with sparklers,” said Dr. Luca Delatore, medical director of immediate care at The Ohio State University’s Department of Emergency Medicine. “And, obviously, fireworks that explode are explosive and most of them are of a smaller magnitude, but they can be dangerous. We see lots of injuries to extremities, particularly hands and digits. As with anything, there’s risk”
A 2020 report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that approximately 15,600 people were treated in emergency departments for firework-related injuries, two-thirds of them in the month period surrounding the Fourth of July holiday and nearly half involving bystanders, many of them children.
The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office recommends these safety precautions when using fireworks:
- Only handle and discharge trick and novelty devices under adult supervision.
- Educate yourself on the hazards of each type of device being used.
- Carefully read and follow the label directions on the packaging of a trick and novelty device.
- Light only one sparkler at a time and hold it away from your body, as well as others.
- Sparklers should only be used by someone 12 years of age or older.
- Sparkler wires should immediately be placed in a bucket of water to avoid injury, because they remain hot for a few minutes after burnout.
- Consider substituting sparklers for a safer alternative, such as glow sticks.
Source: Ohio State Fire Marshal
Remember the pets
Pet FBI, which stands for “Found By Internet” expects to be busy on Tuesday.
The free national pet lost and found database based in Columbus says July 5 is typically its busiest day of the year as animal shelters nationwide report a 30% increase in lost pets being turned in between July 4 and 6 after being frightened by fireworks.
Owners should get pets microchipped, make sure backyard fences are in good repair and leave pets at home if their humans are going to see some fireworks, executive director Leslie Poole said.
The pets belong indoors and Poole says owners should consider leaving the TV on or some soft music playing.