4th of July fireworks: Take this quiz to see how safely you're celebrating
It’s the season for lighting up explosives and watching the burning embers create awesome designs in the sky in the good ol’ United States of America.
Make sure to celebrate safely this upcoming holiday weekend.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com file photo
That’s right, the Fourth of July is upon us. While it’s an American tradition to light up fireworks while basking in the glory of our lovely nation, it’s also important to avoid an unfortunate consequence of this tradition — injuries and noise complaints.
Police and medical officials here in Washtenaw County reported few noise complaints so far this week and no injuries up to Tuesday night. Laura Blodgett, spokeswoman at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, said the hospital is at the ready for patients who’ve suffered firework-related injuries, but haven’t had anyone rushed to the emergency room for them just yet.
Before going out to the deck and lighting off a few bottle rockets to celebrate America, take the AnnArbor.com fireworks quiz and see just how ready you are to safely celebrate.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:08 p.m.
For reference, of 520 participants only one person got all the questions correct. Over half answered #1, 9, 10, 11, and 12 incorrectly. Surprisingly #3, 6, 8, and 13 were the only ones that most people answered correctly.
Reason
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 12:14 a.m.
My neighborhood park (a public Ann Arbor park) has a spontaneous 4th-of-July gathering of 200-300 people with all sorts of illegal fireworks and a LOT of alcohol. In the 18 years we have lived here, I have never once seen the police even drive by. So even though there are rules, they don't seem to be enforced at all.
Ann English
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 10:33 p.m.
Does brown paper make extremely flammable packaging material?
jns131
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2:04 a.m.
Man thats a bummer. No professional grade fireworks. O well, guess mine will do for now.
Ann English
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 11:40 p.m.
Makes sense, Kyle, for professional grade fireworks to be in a plainly brown paper package; one can tell it's professional grade that way, even without reading glasses. When I attended a Buhr Park July 4 fireworks show, I recall even the professionals running it, running away from pyrotechnics they had just lit, so that they wouldn't get burned. Nobody got hurt during the whole show.
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 10:41 p.m.
Ann- Brownnpaper often indicates fireworks are professional grade, such as the ones used in large displays. Can end up very bad for the inexperienced.
Elouise
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 4:07 p.m.
Explanations for the answers would be good...
Elouise
Sun, Jul 7, 2013 : 3:45 p.m.
Any and all of them. I got a few wrong but was unsure why. It's better to teach.
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 4:15 p.m.
Any specific one you have a question on? The main one I would give some addition info on is in the situation of a 'dud'. The process for that is: 1. Stay a safe distance from the firework for at least 20 minutes 2. Soak in bucket of water It is also recommended to soak spent fireworks in water as well before disposing of them in the trash.
Dog Guy
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 2:49 p.m.
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 3:15 p.m.
'Murica.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 2:27 p.m.
Speaking of all of these fireworks articles... did I miss the one of where one might go to see any? Seems that would be the safest option if not the most impressive, letting the professionals do it..
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 3:15 p.m.
Yep, we have one last week and it's been at the top of the entertainment page for the past few days. http://bit.ly/aadc-4jfs Tonight is actually your last chance to catch a show nearby when the skies will light up over Manchester.
Blue Marker
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 2:24 p.m.
I still have fond memories of fireworks at Buhr Park where you were so close sometimes ash would drop by your blanket. Then they moved them to the airport which worked our pretty well but it wasn't as nice as Buhr IMHO. I wish Ann Arbor would celebrate this great country's birthday!
Brad
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 7:36 p.m.
I also remember that the fireworks were pretty close to the people at Buhr. We'd scour the park in the days after and find small chunks of unburned gunpowder-like stuff that we'd light on fire to watch it go *poof*.
jrigglem
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 1:53 p.m.
Wait, I got that Cherry Bombs were illegal... O.o And..I guess I consider the Hudson Mills fireworks to be Ann Arbors fireworks...I guess that must be considered Dexter..
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 2:36 p.m.
Correct, they were banned in the mid '60s when the "Child Protection Act" was passed. There are similarly named/designed products on the market but they have nowhere near the same product that is now considered as an illegal explosive device.
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 12:36 p.m.
Obviously, the last question is a bit of a freebie, does anyone remember attending the Ann Arbor fireworks back in the day?
jns131
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 3:39 p.m.
Minty marshmallows? Hmmm.......needs some investigation work with dark chocolate. Will keep you posted.
Kyle Mattson
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 3:14 p.m.
I saw a Girl Scout thin mint variety at this store this week jns, those were difficult to pass on.
YpsiGreen
Fri, Jul 5, 2013 : 12:20 a.m.
Last time I remember was at the A2 airport.
jns131
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2:02 a.m.
I know, I want a burnt marshmallow. Wal Mart sells the strawberry kind. Yum!!! O darn now I am hungry again....
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 6:54 p.m.
Many would agree with you mady! http://on.fb.me/12HbYfo
mady
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 6:37 p.m.
incidentally, I LIKE burned marshmallows. crusty on the outside, creamy on the inside. Yummmmmm.
mady
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 6:35 p.m.
Kyle, I remember going to the fireworks display @ Buhr Park. Now you can't find 'em anywhere in A2!! What's up with that?!?!
Brad
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 12:27 p.m.
Anybody know where I can get some 199dB fireworks?
Brad
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 12:11 p.m.
Fireworks! BOO!!
Milton Shift
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 12:02 p.m.
Fireworks louder than 200db are illegal? You mean we still can't buy dynamite? Bummer. GOP legislators in Lansing - get with the program and pass a real fireworks bill.
jns131
Thu, Jul 4, 2013 : 2:01 a.m.
Darn! I guess I need to call ACME to return mine unless the coyote wants it. Need to call him.
Julius
Wed, Jul 3, 2013 : 11:41 a.m.
My quiz: did you have fun? Yes? You were probably doing something dangerous.