- Alice paramedics are prepared for firework related injuries on New Year's Eve.
- Jose Salmon and Marco Chavez are experienced paramedics in Alice and have seen what damage fireworks can do.
It’s New Year’s Eve and everyone is prepared to ring in 2025. Among those in preparation - paramedics.
Alice Allegiance Mobile Health Paramedics Jose Salmon and Marco Chavez have been hearing fireworks in the final week of 2024.
"I hope that everybody - you know - has fun safely,” Salmon said.
Salmon has been a paramedic for three years in Alice. He said they haven’t had any injury calls related to fireworks so far. However, they did see some incidents last year.
"I had an incident last year, where there was an individual who had a firework in his hand, it exploded right next to his face and chest area,” Salmon said.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2023, about 42 percent of firework injuries seen in the emergency room were burns. Because of this, paramedics are always prepared for emergency calls with holiday celebrations by having extra supplies on hand.
"Fireworks are definitely not toys and definitely not something to be playing around with if you don't know what you're doing,” Salmon said.
The 32-year-old paramedic and his EMT partner said never hold fireworks when lighting and don’t let your children throw them at each other. Also constant supervision can greatly reduce the number of injuries.
“Fireworks are fun, but they can also be dangerous. And if something does happen. Always call 9-1-1,” Salmon said.
For paramedics, this is a time to remind parents that fireworks are not to be taken lightly.
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