Independence Day is the favorite summer holiday of millions of Americans because it evokes a sense of unity and allows for a beautiful celebration outdoors that we all love. 

While we all enjoy catching up with our friends and loved ones on this day, it is crucial to stay safe during the party. There are plenty of dangerous incidents that may happen on the 4th of July, from superficial burns to the misuse of alcohol; however, many of these dangers are, in fact, of an electrical nature. Electrical incidents during the 4th of July celebrations often involve an electrical power line. Most of those incidents are related to the misuse of fireworks and grills. The National Fire Protection Association commonly reports up to 30000 incidents of electrical injuries linked to fireworks and grills, and many of those actually happen during the 4th of July celebrations.

However, there is no need to be worried: following straightforward safety tips can keep your friends and family protected for one of the most joyous celebrations of the year. Here are a couple of 4th of July safety tips related to the use of fireworks, grilling, and other things that occur throughout the celebration.

Fireworks

• The National Fire Protection Association does not recommend using consumer fireworks and suggests going to public events instead to see public fireworks performed by professionals. 
• You may wish to buy the fireworks from vendors with licenses to sell them at your own risk. 
• Never buy homemade fireworks of an unknown origin. 
• Before using the licensed fireworks, carefully read all the prescription labels. 
• Check your local laws as they must suggest other regulations regarding the use of fireworks in the house.
• A misuse of fireworks may lead to electrical fires, burns, and injuries.
• Have some water near you when lighting the fireworks to prevent the fire.

Grilling

•  Keep the grill at least 6 feet away from any source of water in your backyard.
• Also, please keep it away from the lighting circuits, the house, the overhead power lines, and the roof of the house.
• Do not leave your grill unattended.
• Keep the children younger than 12 away from the grill at all times.

Other Tips

• Aside from fireworks and grilling, many electrical incidents during the 4th of July celebrations are linked to electrical cords coming in contact with the water or the misuse of electricity due to alcohol consumption. Keep the sources of electricity away from the water and stay within a moderate limit of alcohol consumption to prevent the incidents.
• To prevent electrical incidents in the water, the National Electrical Code recommends that the pumps of a swimming pool connector should be attached to the GFCI breaker that would trip in case there is a risk of an electrical incident.
• Our tips from the Home Electrical Safety Checklist and the article on preventing electrical fires are relevant for the 4th of July celebrations. Pay special attention to the tips on using extension cords, as they are commonly thrown around during the 4th of July celebration.