Pinas Firecracker Injuries 2010

Firecracker That Hurts

As we all know firecrackers are explosive materials that explodes or emits sudden gust of explosive reactions when lighted or ignited, thus, it is only right not to light one or ignite one near your fragile human body else you too will explode together with the firecracker. Moreover, these firecrackers emit poisonous and harmful smelly gas emissions which could affect negatively one’s respiratory system. However, despite of this truth regarding firecrackers, still some pretend not to understand and pretend not to see the injuries it has brought to the users. The reason is that one has just to be only responsible to avoid what have happened to others which were brought by their own irresponsibleness and carelessness. Yes, precisely, however most of the users of the firecrackers and injured by it are children who do not have awareness of being responsible but only enjoyment and the feeding of their curiosity. Thus, last 2010; children are still among the highest New Year injuries.

Government Advocacy Against Firecrackers

According to the authorities: “Most of those affected were children aged one (1) to ten (10) years old. This consists of 33 percent or one third of fireworks related injuries….those aged eleven (11) to twenty (20) accounted for 30 percent of the victims while 18 percent were aged twenty-one (21) to thirty(30) years…”

The top firecrackers that caused great injuries or that contributes to firecracker-related injuries were: (1) Piccolo, which garnered 182 cases or 35 percent of the total case; (2) Kwitis, which garner 74 cases or 14 percent and (3) Pla-pla, which garnered 32 cases or 6 percent.

Piccolo is the most accessible firecracker to young children which they could bought on local firecracker vendor near their areas or children can be an innocent bystander victim of firecrackers that goes out of sync due to either influenced by a religious superstitions regarding celebrating New year’s eve or due to curiosity and amazement and amusement brought by the fireworks display they witness, respectively. Even though the Philippine government imposed total ban on the usage of high-explosive firecrackers, still some Oldies defy it thus influencing the young minds to do the same.

Actually, last 2010,according to the authorities, injuries brought by firecrackers has gain a higher percent of New Year injuries and fatalities brought by firecrackers, stray bullets and violent fights compare to previous years; it is 19 percent higher. Majority of these injuries and fatalities come from Metro Manila with 301 case or 58 percent which was followed by Ilocos region having 35 cases or 7 percent and then by Western Visayas region with 29 cases or 6 percent. As of today, the total number has reached 1,036 victims victimized and 990 of them were brought by firecrackers.

The injuries brought by firecrackers was still high which only indicates that the government ban on high explosive firecrackers or ban on firecrackers is not yet very successful though the authorities made and exert full effort and enforcement of it. The reason for this is because some defiant or some law-breakers went underground to sell their firecrackers and because some still buy and patronize firecrackers; thus some still manufactures firecrackers.

Moreover, another factor why the usage of firecrackers on New year’s eve is not yet totally eliminated because firecrackers is still in use by major Philippine business to brighten up their anniversaries wherein some of course allure to do the same and much even more on New Year’s eve. And firecrackers are still used by those who have authorities to brighten and cheer up the New Year’s Eve by their exhibition of fireworks display which they boast to be watched by many.