Witnessed this early this evening in Liberty state Park next to the Kids Playground. My daughters, 7 and 10, and I had stopped while biking. We were seated at a picnic table next to about 40-50 people, with lots of young kids who were having a birthday party. It was extremely windy, and we saw somebody pull out a few boxes of sparklers (obviously illegal, especially in a State Park.)
These were not the regular thin sparklers, they were much thicker, maybe 3/8 to 1/2". Looked like some kind of super sparklers. Now having spent a long time as a Safety engineer, and some time as a Fire Fighter, as well as having been burned by sparklers myself as a kid, I noticed a few things that did not bode well for this fun intended by some well meaning parents, but who maybe were not using there best judgment.
First off, it was very windy, so the sparks that were going to come off were going to be going sideways. Sparklers burn to a temperature of about 2000 Degrees F. Plus They were handing them out to kids, some of whom were only 4 or 5 years old. The kids fanned out and many were next to my picnic table.
They started lighting the sparklers, and pretty much immediately the mayhem started. The Sparklers were burning hot with tremendous sparks coming off. Kids raised the sparklers in the air and spun around. When they were directly downwind, the sparks were hitting them in the face and going in their hair.
A young boy knew he was in trouble quickly when the sparks were in his hair and hitting him in the face. He threw down the sparkler and started rubbing his hair which was smoking. I immediately doused him with the water in my bottle. And he seemed ok.
Within seconds 2 very young kids maybe 4 or 5, burned their hands and threw the sparklers down as well. I grabbed my daughters water and poured water on both their fingers.
I turned around and to see parents lighting more Sparklers and still handing them out to 4 and 5 year olds.
I am all for fun, and understand parenting isn't easy, but it boggles my mind that an adult would hand a 2000 degree sparkler to a 4 year old after already witnessing 3 kids being burned.
Is it me?
These were not the regular thin sparklers, they were much thicker, maybe 3/8 to 1/2". Looked like some kind of super sparklers. Now having spent a long time as a Safety engineer, and some time as a Fire Fighter, as well as having been burned by sparklers myself as a kid, I noticed a few things that did not bode well for this fun intended by some well meaning parents, but who maybe were not using there best judgment.
First off, it was very windy, so the sparks that were going to come off were going to be going sideways. Sparklers burn to a temperature of about 2000 Degrees F. Plus They were handing them out to kids, some of whom were only 4 or 5 years old. The kids fanned out and many were next to my picnic table.
They started lighting the sparklers, and pretty much immediately the mayhem started. The Sparklers were burning hot with tremendous sparks coming off. Kids raised the sparklers in the air and spun around. When they were directly downwind, the sparks were hitting them in the face and going in their hair.
A young boy knew he was in trouble quickly when the sparks were in his hair and hitting him in the face. He threw down the sparkler and started rubbing his hair which was smoking. I immediately doused him with the water in my bottle. And he seemed ok.
Within seconds 2 very young kids maybe 4 or 5, burned their hands and threw the sparklers down as well. I grabbed my daughters water and poured water on both their fingers.
I turned around and to see parents lighting more Sparklers and still handing them out to 4 and 5 year olds.
I am all for fun, and understand parenting isn't easy, but it boggles my mind that an adult would hand a 2000 degree sparkler to a 4 year old after already witnessing 3 kids being burned.
Is it me?