Sparklers illegal, but stores continue to sell them

Maddi is well thank you for your concern. She had the best surgeons take care of her in the world here in Chicago. Did you know that there is only 1 major burn center in Chicago & 3 in the whole state of IL. This law took over 3 years. I live in a powerful city I helped chenge the law, but read the facts are really what changed it. But I am one who does things once i am educated. But would never want anyone else to be educated in such a way.

Your may thank me later. But please read on, they got my support unfortunatly in takes my tragdy to make change. This information has been given to law officals for over 20 years. Just look at the NFPA's web site. Please do your homework.

July 2004-From Maddi's Mother

Thanks for all for your Concern and Prayers.

Injuries Due To A Sparkle - A Picture Says A Thousands Words -
So Make A Difference
> *Photos contain graphic images
>
A bad thing happened on the 4th of July 2004. I was standing. My daughter Maddi was injured by a sparkler. That had been thrown into the grass by another child and fell onto her shoe. Which burned a hole the size of a nickel, igniting the inside of the shoe. She was running around screaming but none of the adults around her knew what was wrong. They weren't able to see the fire because it was inside the shoe. when thay realize what was the matter thay threw their drinks on her foot & tried to remove her shoe. When this was done some of her skin came off with it. The rest was hanging to the side. This all happened it a matter of seconds.
I had just had all girls change into different clothes & gym shoes before attending the towns fireworks display. I have always done this fearing they couls get burned by setting on something still hot or things flying by. Well we drove to a firehouse and were watching them there with some of my family. When we arrive back they asked if they could still stay out my cousin had a hole bunch of boxes of sparlkers.

So I followed them to the back of the house were there was an open field. There were about 10 adults out there and 6 kids at the most. I was standing by asisting and watching them with their sparklers. My youngest was even afraid and would hand it off to me to hold. She went and played on the swing set with the other kids.I had watch her with her sparklers and when she was done with the last one, I told her I and her older sister I would be right back. I went to the house to go get a
soda and was on my way back out but got stopped by my sister who was
asking me a question, My kids were thirsty. so I asked my 13 year old to watch over Maddi while I went in the house to get drinks.

Most of you who know me know me as a mom. You have seen that I am one
who is not likely to let tmy children out of of my site. when we heard all the screaming. This was the worst
screaming I have ever heard, I have never ran so fast in my life. I
wasn't even sure who was screaming because the pitch was so high. I
couldn't recognize if it was one of my own kids, but one thing we all new was
it was something bad. There were about 8 or more adults out there with
them at the time. But that didn't matter either.

Which caused her to suffer 2nd & 3rd degree burns almost over the entire top portion of her left foot. No matter how it would have happened, the out come would be pretty much the same. The burns were so severe that they wouldn't heal. In other words it means her skin was so badly burned..............No I mean she was so badly burned that there wasn't any skin there. They tried ointments that can help promote skin growth. That didn't work. It was going to need skin. So they had to perform surgery to remove skin from her body. Then sew it on top of her foot to cover it. This is a very painful thing for even an adult to go through. It has been a very challenging experience for me both emotional and financially.
> Today we are now dealing with caring for the new skin. According to the surgeons at Loyola it has taken and looks good. To their eyes it looks good, it will take months before it looks somewhat like regular skin. She had to walk with the assistance of a walker and now has been walking for about a week without it. She's still not walking normal, but hopefully in time that will change too.
> The whole ordeal has left a lasting affect on all of us who were there. But in time can be forgotten by some. The pictures you are about to see will hopefully due much, much, more. Believe it or not this picture still doesn't show how bad it was. Which is a good thing for those who look at this one. After ever visit they have to take off more and more dead skin so you can only imagine how the pictures before surgery look. No one will remember the horror more than myself and all that have had to accompany me one her many visits to Loyola's burn clinic. Or if you were lucky enough to be there for one of her bandage changes, to have to listen to the begging and screams of "no more", " I can't do this" " Mom please no more"!
> I know will never forget. This has been hard on us all that are around her.
This may seem like a horrible email to send but that is the message I trying to get across. I may always seem like I am smiling, but only few have witness my bad days. This has been a time of many bad days. My Madison's good spirit is what keeps me from breaking down.
We have all had accidents happen right before our eyes and could do much to prevent it from happening in the first place. But this accident can be prevented in many ways. The first step in prevent this from happening again is to give you something I didn't have, and that is some knowledge about Sparklers.
> I plan on working with The Chicago Fire Dept. & others on putting a ban on Sparkles. I am sure I can count on many for their support in this effort. I need and want to do something positive with this. I can't stand by and hear or see anymore stories when I know first hand the injuries it will cause someone. Why is it ,when we don't allow kids to play with matches or how about an oven that reaches 500 degrees.
But we let them hold a Sparkle that ignites at 1800 degrees and will reach 2000 degrees. Did you know that Steel will melt at 1000 degrees?
That is like handing a child a blow torch.

Now ask yourself, would you put this in anyone's hands let alone a child. Holiday or no holiday, this is no way to celebrate anything.
Is all of this worth a couple seconds of a "Sparkler"!

June 2008-From Maddi's Mother

Be one of the first to see it!!!

This is my contribution and my mark on helping change the world, Now I ask you to ask yourself, what's yours! THINK.......

Something to share with family & friends before you celebrate the next upcoming holiday.

Thanks As Always For Your Support Through The Years!!

God Bless You All,

Michelle & Family

*******Be Safe This 4th of July***********
Here it is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAEzZVPsP3Q

And more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Pfil_2a3I&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Pfil_2a3I&feature=related

Thanks For Listening,

ThinkB4...USpeak

In 2005, fireworks caused an estimated 1,800 total structure fires and 700 vehicle fires reported to fire departments. These 2,500 fires resulted in an estimated 60 civilian injuries and $39 million in direct property damage. There were no reported civilian deaths.
In 2006, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,200 people for fireworks related injuries. 49% of the injuries were to the extremities and 46% were to the head. 55% of the 2006 fireworks injuries were burns, while 30% were contusions and lacerations.
The risk of fireworks injury was two-and-a-half times as high for children ages 10-14 as for the general population.
In 2001-2005, an estimated 1 person per year was killed in reported fires started by fireworks, while 6 people per year were killed directly by fireworks.
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.
Five states ban the use of fireworks by consumers (DE, MA, NJ, NY, and RI). The other 45 states and the District of Columbia permit some or all consumer fireworks. The American Pyrotechnics Association has compiled a helpful map and directory of state-by-state fireworks control laws.

Risk of Private Fireworks Use
The risk of fire death relative to time used shows fireworks as the riskiestconsumer product.
• The risk that someone will die from fire when fireworks are being used is higher relative to exposure time than the risk of fire death when a cigarette is being smoked.
• The risks with fireworks are not limited to displays, public or private. Risks also exist wherever fireworks are manufactured, transported, or stored.
• “Safe and sane” fireworks are neither. Fireworks and sparklers are
designed to explode or throw off showers of hot sparks. Temperatures
may exceed 1200°F.
NFPA encourages people to enjoy public displays of fireworks that comply
with NFPA 1123. NFPA is strongly opposed to any consumer use of fireworks.
FACT: 90% of the fireworks injuries treated in
hospital emergency rooms involved fireworks that
Federal regulations permit consumers to use.

FACT: The following five states have
banned access by the public to all
fireworks: Delaware, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New York, and Rhode
Island.

Concerned, my daughter is well thank you for your concern. She had the best surgeons take care of her in the world here in Chicago. Did you know that there is only 1 major burn center in Chicago & 3 in the whole state of IL. This law took over 3 years. I live in a powerful city I helped chenge the law, but read the facts are really what changed it. But I am one who does things once i am educated. But would never want anyone else to be educated in such a way.

Your may thank me later. But please read on, they got my support unfortunatly in takes my tragdy to make change. This information has been given to law officals for over 20 years. Just look at the NFPA's web site. Please do your homework.

July 2004-From Maddi's Mother

Thanks for all for your Concern and Prayers.

Injuries Due To A Sparkle - A Picture Says A Thousands Words -
So Make A Difference
> *Photos contain graphic images
>
A bad thing happened on the 4th of July 2004. I was standing. My daughter Maddi was injured by a sparkler. That had been thrown into the grass by another child and fell onto her shoe. Which burned a hole the size of a nickel, igniting the inside of the shoe. She was running around screaming but none of the adults around her knew what was wrong. They weren't able to see the fire because it was inside the shoe. when thay realize what was the matter thay threw their drinks on her foot & tried to remove her shoe. When this was done some of her skin came off with it. The rest was hanging to the side. This all happened it a matter of seconds.
I had just had all girls change into different clothes & gym shoes before attending the towns fireworks display. I have always done this fearing they couls get burned by setting on something still hot or things flying by. Well we drove to a firehouse and were watching them there with some of my family. When we arrive back they asked if they could still stay out my cousin had a hole bunch of boxes of sparlkers.

So I followed them to the back of the house were there was an open field. There were about 10 adults out there and 6 kids at the most. I was standing by asisting and watching them with their sparklers. My youngest was even afraid and would hand it off to me to hold. She went and played on the swing set with the other kids.I had watch her with her sparklers and when she was done with the last one, I told her I and her older sister I would be right back. I went to the house to go get a
soda and was on my way back out but got stopped by my sister who was
asking me a question, My kids were thirsty. so I asked my 13 year old to watch over Maddi while I went in the house to get drinks.

Most of you who know me know me as a mom. You have seen that I am one
who is not likely to let tmy children out of of my site. when we heard all the screaming. This was the worst
screaming I have ever heard, I have never ran so fast in my life. I
wasn't even sure who was screaming because the pitch was so high. I
couldn't recognize if it was one of my own kids, but one thing we all new was
it was something bad. There were about 8 or more adults out there with
them at the time. But that didn't matter either.

Which caused her to suffer 2nd & 3rd degree burns almost over the entire top portion of her left foot. No matter how it would have happened, the out come would be pretty much the same. The burns were so severe that they wouldn't heal. In other words it means her skin was so badly burned..............No I mean she was so badly burned that there wasn't any skin there. They tried ointments that can help promote skin growth. That didn't work. It was going to need skin. So they had to perform surgery to remove skin from her body. Then sew it on top of her foot to cover it. This is a very painful thing for even an adult to go through. It has been a very challenging experience for me both emotional and financially.
> Today we are now dealing with caring for the new skin. According to the surgeons at Loyola it has taken and looks good. To their eyes it looks good, it will take months before it looks somewhat like regular skin. She had to walk with the assistance of a walker and now has been walking for about a week without it. She's still not walking normal, but hopefully in time that will change too.
> The whole ordeal has left a lasting affect on all of us who were there. But in time can be forgotten by some. The pictures you are about to see will hopefully due much, much, more. Believe it or not this picture still doesn't show how bad it was. Which is a good thing for those who look at this one. After ever visit they have to take off more and more dead skin so you can only imagine how the pictures before surgery look. No one will remember the horror more than myself and all that have had to accompany me one her many visits to Loyola's burn clinic. Or if you were lucky enough to be there for one of her bandage changes, to have to listen to the begging and screams of "no more", " I can't do this" " Mom please no more"!
> I know will never forget. This has been hard on us all that are around her.
This may seem like a horrible email to send but that is the message I trying to get across. I may always seem like I am smiling, but only few have witness my bad days. This has been a time of many bad days. My Madison's good spirit is what keeps me from breaking down.
We have all had accidents happen right before our eyes and could do much to prevent it from happening in the first place. But this accident can be prevented in many ways. The first step in prevent this from happening again is to give you something I didn't have, and that is some knowledge about Sparklers.
> I plan on working with The Chicago Fire Dept. & others on putting a ban on Sparkles. I am sure I can count on many for their support in this effort. I need and want to do something positive with this. I can't stand by and hear or see anymore stories when I know first hand the injuries it will cause someone. Why is it ,when we don't allow kids to play with matches or how about an oven that reaches 500 degrees.
But we let them hold a Sparkle that ignites at 1800 degrees and will reach 2000 degrees. Did you know that Steel will melt at 1000 degrees?
That is like handing a child a blow torch.

Now ask yourself, would you put this in anyone's hands let alone a child. Holiday or no holiday, this is no way to celebrate anything.
Is all of this worth a couple seconds of a "Sparkler"!

June 2008-From Maddi's Mother

Be one of the first to see it!!!

This is my contribution and my mark on helping change the world, Now I ask you to ask yourself, what's yours! THINK.......

Something to share with family & friends before you celebrate the next upcoming holiday.

Thanks As Always For Your Support Through The Years!!

God Bless You All,

Michelle & Family

*******Be Safe This 4th of July***********
Here it is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAEzZVPsP3Q

And more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Pfil_2a3I&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Pfil_2a3I&feature=related

Thanks For Listening,

ThinkB4...USpeak

In 2005, fireworks caused an estimated 1,800 total structure fires and 700 vehicle fires reported to fire departments. These 2,500 fires resulted in an estimated 60 civilian injuries and $39 million in direct property damage. There were no reported civilian deaths.
In 2006, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,200 people for fireworks related injuries. 49% of the injuries were to the extremities and 46% were to the head. 55% of the 2006 fireworks injuries were burns, while 30% were contusions and lacerations.
The risk of fireworks injury was two-and-a-half times as high for children ages 10-14 as for the general population.
In 2001-2005, an estimated 1 person per year was killed in reported fires started by fireworks, while 6 people per year were killed directly by fireworks.
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.
Five states ban the use of fireworks by consumers (DE, MA, NJ, NY, and RI). The other 45 states and the District of Columbia permit some or all consumer fireworks. The American Pyrotechnics Association has compiled a helpful map and directory of state-by-state fireworks control laws.

Risk of Private Fireworks Use
The risk of fire death relative to time used shows fireworks as the riskiestconsumer product.
• The risk that someone will die from fire when fireworks are being used is higher relative to exposure time than the risk of fire death when a cigarette is being smoked.
• The risks with fireworks are not limited to displays, public or private. Risks also exist wherever fireworks are manufactured, transported, or stored.
• “Safe and sane” fireworks are neither. Fireworks and sparklers are
designed to explode or throw off showers of hot sparks. Temperatures
may exceed 1200°F.
NFPA encourages people to enjoy public displays of fireworks that comply
with NFPA 1123. NFPA is strongly opposed to any consumer use of fireworks.
FACT: 90% of the fireworks injuries treated in
hospital emergency rooms involved fireworks that
Federal regulations permit consumers to use.

FACT: The following five states have
banned access by the public to all
fireworks: Delaware, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New York, and Rhode
Island.