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The New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB), New York State Police, the New York State Department of Health (DOH), the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) have joined together as a “Fourth of July Safety Coalition” to urge New Yorkers to use caution and promote safety during the upcoming holiday activities across the State. "The Fourth of July marks the celebration of our Nation's freedom, and is a festive time for New Yorkers to spend with family and friends, but also brings with it concerns for safety," said Governor David A. Paterson. "Together, we are empowering consumers by providing them with information that will hopefully lead to a better and safer holiday for everyone." "We hope that consumers heed safety warnings and other advice as they celebrate the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and not to get caught up in the festivities, neglecting simple safety rules that can lead to harm," said Mindy A. Bockstein, Chairperson and Executive Director of the CPB. “With more people staying closer to home and looking for local activities including fireworks, grilling, swimming and shopping and with the availability of the Internet, we have geared up. Retailers too are getting ready for consumers who will be looking to brighten up their holiday, and are offering special promotions on food, beverages and other products for the millions of people planning barbecues this weekend. Working together with our sister Agencies in government and with FASNY, we are providing consumers with information that will help prevent people from being injured or scammed this year.” According to a poll of more than 8,000 people conducted by the National Retail Federation, nearly 60 percent of consumers say increased gas prices will impact their travel spending for the Independence Day holiday - - up from 42.1 percent of consumers last year. The Federation reports that this year, nearly more than 60 percent of consumers are expected to light up their grills or go to a barbecue and more than 40 percent will attend a fireworks celebration this Fourth of July. Section 270 of the New York State Penal Law governs the possession, sale and use of illegal fireworks, and defines “fireworks” as “any blank cartridge; blank cartridge pistol or toy cannon in which explosives are used, firecrackers, sparklers, or other combustible or explosive of like construction.” These include fireworks that are capable of causing serious physical injury, such as “firecrackers containing more than 50 milligrams of any explosive substance, torpedoes, skyrockets and rockets such as Roman candles, bombs, sparklers” or other devices. A person who possesses, uses or explodes fireworks or furnishes them to others is guilty of a violation under the law. “It is essential that citizens understand that possessing fireworks of any type is illegal in New York State,” said NYS Police Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt. “Fireworks account for a large number of preventable fires and injuries. Only professionals with proper permits, licensing and training can and should possess and display fireworks. We encourage families and citizens to take advantage of public fireworks displays as a safe means of enjoying the holiday.” In 2007, nearly 10,000 Americans were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries, and there were eleven deaths reported, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Approximately 64 percent of these injuries occurred during the one month period surrounding the July 4th holiday. CPSC documentation shows that burns were the most common injury, accounting for more than half of the incidents, and that, over the last 10 years, there has been an upward trend in injuries. State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines said, "We all enjoy Fourth of July fireworks displays, but if used improperly fireworks can cause serious injury. Make this July 4th a safe, enjoyable holiday for all New Yorkers by putting safety first to avoid preventable injuries from fireworks." The May 2008 Fireworks Report by the Fire Analysis and Research Division of the National Fire Protection Association states that “on Independence Day in a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.” For example, the report states that, in 2005, fireworks caused an estimated 2,500 fires (1,800 total structure and 700 vehicle fires) resulting in approximately $39 million in direct property damage, and though the numbers declined in 2004, the number of Fourth of July fires increased last year, and is again on the rise. Further, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, approximately 6,500 fires occur each year as a result of grilling, and of these, more than 70% occur in residential settings. "We urge all New Yorkers to use caution when it comes to fireworks, grilling and any activity involving fire during the Fourth of July weekend," said FASNY President Michael P. Wutz. “Dedicated firefighters and companies continue to provide information to residents on the local level to assure they understand the law and hazards involved, particularly with fireworks. We advise people to check local listings for fireworks displays, and leave fireworks to the professionals. We stand for safety, and will continue to work with our partners in State government to protect New Yorkers." Fourth of July safety concerns extend beyond fireworks and fires. Drinking and driving continues to cause injury to consumers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that, in 2005, the Fourth of July holiday period was the deadliest holiday period of the year, with 280 people killed due to alcohol-impaired driving. There is increased concern for teenagers who are at high risk for holiday drinking, which can lead to fatal car crashes, violent and risky behavior and alcohol dependency. A recently issued federal study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, revealed that more than 40 percent of the estimated 10.8 million underage drinkers in the United States received free alcohol from adults, and more than 6.4 percent, or 650,000 of them, were given alcoholic beverages by their parents. “We have made great strides in New York State in reducing the drinking behaviors of teens, however, the numbers are still too high and we need to do even more,” said OASAS Commissioner Karen Carpenter-Palumbo. “As this holiday approaches, New Yorkers need to understand that it is never acceptable to provide alcohol to someone under 21. Parents must recognize that their actions do drive the decisions their children make.” Additionally, with summer in full swing, and more people taking to the water to cool off, consumers are advised to exercise caution while swimming. The CPSC is reporting that there has been an increase in the number of children who are drowning, stating that, on average, 283 children younger than 5 drown in pools and spas each year (and these tragic incidents mostly involve 1-2 year olds), up from a previous yearly average of 267. Safety in the Water tips are available from the CPB and CPSC that can help consumers avoid tragedy. Lastly, we offer a word of caution about an old e-mail scam that first appeared in the late nineties and has reappeared in recent Fourths of July. If you receive an e-mail greeting whose subject reads "A friend has sent you a postcard" and you don’t recognize the sender, don’t open it. In the past, recipients who followed the instructions and accessed the link to view the card, instead were linked to a hacker’s site which opened a file called postcard.exe which downloaded a Trojan, causing damage to the computer and giving a hacker access to hard drives and stored personal information. “Clever scammers continue to utilize holidays, disasters, or any other ploy they can think of to bilk people out of their hard-earned money and compromise their identity,” said CPB Chairperson Bockstein. “With identity theft legislation and informational resources, we are making strides toward raising awareness of crime caused by scammers. We urge consumers to exercise caution during the upcoming holiday - - while barbecuing, enjoying public fireworks, driving, swimming, shopping, reading your e-mail or using the Internet.”
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