Abstract
BackgroundDespite a national decrease in emergency department visits in the United States during the first 10 months of the pandemic, preliminary Consumer Product Safety Commission data indicate increased firework-related injuries. We hypothesized an increase in firework-related injuries during 2020 compared to years prior related to a corresponding increase in consumer firework sales.MethodsThe National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried from 2018 to 2020 for cases with product codes 1313 (firework injury) and narratives containing “fireworks”. Population-based national estimates were calculated using US Census data, then compared across the three years of study inclusion. Patient demographic and available injury information was also tracked and compared across the three years. Firework sales data obtained from the American Pyrotechnics Association were determined for the same time period to examine trends in consumption.ResultsThere were 935 firework-related injuries reported to the NEISS from 2018 to 2020, 47% of which occurred during 2020. National estimates for monthly injuries per million were 1.6 times greater in 2020 compared to 2019 (p < 0.0001) with no difference between 2018 and 2019 (p = 0.38). The same results were found when the month of July was excluded. Firework consumption in 2020 was 1.5 times greater than 2019 or 2018, with a 55% increase in consumer fireworks and 22% decrease in professional fireworks sales.ConclusionsFirework-related injures saw a substantial increase in 2020 compared to the two years prior, corroborated by a proportional increase in consumer firework sales. Increased incidence of firework-related injuries was detected even with the exclusion of the month of July, suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted firework epidemiology more broadly than US Independence Day celebrations.
Highlights
Despite a national decrease in emergency department visits in the United States during the first 10 months of the pandemic, preliminary Consumer Product Safety Commission data indicate increased fireworkrelated injuries
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on healthcare utilization in the United States, regarding emergency department (ED) visits
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) preliminarily reported significant increases in emergency department visits related to a number of products including skateboards, scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and fireworks (Schroeder 2021)
Summary
Despite a national decrease in emergency department visits in the United States during the first 10 months of the pandemic, preliminary Consumer Product Safety Commission data indicate increased fireworkrelated injuries. Firework displays remain an integral part of the American cultural experience, punctuating national and local holiday celebrations, sporting events, fairs, and festivals. Both commercial (Walger et al 2020) and consumer based firework sales peak in January and July, during New Year’s and Independence Day celebrations, with a corresponding rise in firework-related injuries during these months (Canner et al 2014). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) preliminarily reported significant increases in emergency department visits related to a number of products including skateboards, scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and fireworks (Schroeder 2021). We sought to determine rates of firework-related injuries during 2020 compared to years prior, evaluated in conjunction with firework sales data, to direct injury prevention strategies in light of an ongoing global pandemic
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