New Iowa fireworks law is keeping local fire departments busy

Battalion Chief Marvin Trimble from the Cedar Rapids Fire Department says they’ve responded to 11 fireworks calls since it became legal for people to use them. He says three of those have been injury related.

He explains, “In the last month we have responded to three directly related to fireworks. One was a 14 year old with hand and face injuries, another was a person who fell who was startled by fireworks, and another was reported as chest pain due to being startled by fireworks."

He says the fire department did not keep track of fireworks related injuries until this year, but adds that he doesn’t remember too many during his 30 years on the job.

He wants people taking advantage of the new fireworks law to be safe and mindful. He says, "I always tell people there's no such things as a safe firework. You just never know what you're gonna get from one time to the next. One time you may have a five second fuse, the next time it might blow up the second you light it."

A nurse from Unity Point Saint Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids said they've only seen two injuries due to fireworks. On average, they have 2.5 fireworks related injuries for an entire year.