Safety tips for the long weekend

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On this Victoria day weekend people will be enjoying time with family and friends, but it’s not always a fun weekend for emergency responders. Doctor Frank Baillie is a trauma surgeon at Hamilton General treating the most serious injuries that come into the ER. Alcohol, he says, is involved in nearly a quarter of these cases.

“The people who get injured, 22% have been drinking for sure. Usually car crashes but they see a number of people who have fallen off of decks and roofs.”

Public Information Officer Claudio Mostacci has some tips for fireworks this weekend too.

1. Place the firework in some sand, don’t hold it in your hand and read the labels for all of the instructions.

2. Be aware of wind conditions, they can affect the fallout from your fireworks so you don’t want them going up and onto your neighbours properties.

3. Make sure spectators stand far enough away to safely enjoy the show.

According to the rules in Hamilton you’re only allowed to set off fireworks two days before and two days after Victoria Day. Mostacci also said that if you’re uncomfortable lighting them yourself, he encourages people to go to a planned celebration like the fireworks show this Sunday at Dundas Driving Park.