UT Health East Texas urges safety this Fourth of July  

Tyler, Texas (June 22, 2026) — As families across East Texas prepare to celebrate Independence Day, UT Health East Texas is reminding the community to put safety first. Each year, thousands of people nationwide require medical treatment for fireworks-related injuries during the July 4 holiday, with children and young adults among those most affected.

While many serious injuries involve professional-grade or illegal fireworks, even small devices like firecrackers and sparklers can cause significant harm.

“We see a wide range of injuries in the emergency room during the Fourth of July holiday,” said Brittany Ray, RN, trauma services education and injury prevention specialist. “Even sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees — hot enough to melt some metals — making them especially dangerous for children.”

To help prevent injuries, Ray encourages anyone planning to use fireworks to follow these simple safety tips:

• Never allow children to handle or ignite fireworks
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby
• Light fireworks one at a time and move away quickly
• Never attempt to relight or pick up fireworks that fail to ignite
• Avoid using fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs

Emergency departments often see an increase in injuries to the hands, fingers, face and eyes during the holiday. In addition to fireworks-related incidents, UT Health East Texas also treats patients for heat-related illnesses, foodborne illness and alcohol-related emergencies during the July 4 holiday period, which also can bring an uptick in car crashes and water-related accidents.

Ray noted water-related injuries tend to increase with summer holidays and urged the public to take extra precautions:

• Designate a sober adult to actively supervise anyone in the water
• Wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets when swimming or boating in lakes and rivers
• Secure pools with proper fencing and locked gates to prevent unsupervised access
• Never operate boats or personal watercraft while under the influence

“We want everyone to enjoy a safe and memorable holiday,” Ray said. “Stay hydrated, keep food properly stored, never drink and drive, always wear your seat belt and make water safety a priority. Taking these steps can help ensure your celebration doesn’t end with a trip to the emergency room.”

About UT Health East Texas

UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes nine hospitals, more than 90 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services, an EMS fleet of more than 65 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive eight-trauma center care network, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma facility.

As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.