Researchers from Hawaii sought to examine trends in fireworks-related injuries (FRI) before and after enactment of an ordinance to limit access in the City and County of Honolulu (the island of Oahu).
Methods: Surveillance of FRI treated in all emergency departments in the state, for 18 New Year’s periods (31 December through 1 January) from 2004 to 2021. Prelaw (2004 to 2011) and postlaw (2012 to 2021) number of FRIs were compared, by patient age and county.
Results: The average annual number of FRI for all ages decreased significantly in Oahu, from 74 during the prelaw period to 27 during the postlaw period (P<0.01), but not in the remaining neighbor islands (P =0.07). Decreases were particularly evident for Oahu pediatric patients (under 18 years), among whom FRI declined from 42 to 10 per year (P<0.01). FRI were approximately halved for older Oahu patients and neighbor island pediatric patients.
The researchers concluded that legislation requiring permits for a specified number and type of fireworks, and limiting access to persons 18 years and older was associated with significant decreases in FRI in the City and County of Honolulu.
[Editor’s note: For more about fireworks related injuries, be sure to read “Fireworks-Related Lower Extremity Injuries Treated at United States Emergency Departments” on page 43.]
Source: Galanis DJ, Koo SS, Puapong DP, et al. Decrease in injuries from fireworks in Hawaii: associations with a county policy to limit access. Injury Prevention. 2022;28:325-329. doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2021-044402.
