So how do you plan to spend this Fourth of July? Maybe you’re headed to the lake, or a cookout, or a baseball game. You’re certainly not planning a trip to the emergency room. Unfortunately, an estimated 8,000 Americans will spend the afternoon or evening of July Fourth not celebrating, but in the hospital ER, getting treatment for a fireworks-related injury. Still, fireworks are synonymous with Independence Day celebrations, even in states where they’re illegal (and no, that is not an endorsement). Here are five surprising facts about fireworks in the U.S.
