HOUSTON — Fourth of July is almost here but for many the celebration will start this weekend and so will the fireworks.
Each year, some people end up in the ER with fireworks-related injuries.
At just 17 years old, Nate Watson had no idea his life would forever be changed by a single firework.
“If you ask him, he’s like ‘my future literally blew up in my face,'" Nate's father David Watson said.
It was the Fourth of July two years ago. Nate was popping fireworks in the front yard.
“He put the firework down a mortar shell, lit it, backed away like he’s been told and taught and seen how it’s done," David said.
He said Nate did everything right, but still, something went wrong.
“The firework never went up. It exploded in the tube. So what happened was, all the pieces went exploding. He instinctively went like this, to protect his face and his arm and wrist sustained the majority of the trauma," David said.
A paramedic at the time, David treated his son right there, on the front lawn and then rushed him to the hospital.
“The bones in his wrist were pretty much decimated. And the bones in his forearm were both broken," David said.
Today, sadly, Nate’s arm will never be the same, and David, now an adult injury prevention education coordinator at Memorial Hermann said he will never buy fireworks again.
“My advice is to leave it to professionals because you never know what could happen, even if you’re being completely 100% safe," David said.
Doctors from Memorial Hermann are hoping to help prevent injuries this year.
“Fireworks are no different than using firearms, there’s a risk associated with them that people don’t always take into account," Dr. Todd Huzar, UTHealth Houston burn surgeon with Memorial Hermann, said.
Huzar agrees the best way to prevent injury is to not use fireworks altogether, but says, if you are using them, be cautious.
“Don’t mix with alcohol because it could affect your judgment, it can affect your speed and ability to get away," Huzar said. "Keep children very far away from them."
“You always want to shoot on open level ground so that nothing falls over," spokesperson for Top Dog Fireworks Sue Davis said.
She fireworks can be done safely as long as you're smart.
“Fireworks are not toys. Every firework needs to be treated as something that you have to have a lot of respect for. You need to follow the directions, and follow all the common sense safety rules," Davis said.