JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Several groups across Mississippi want you to be safe when it comes to celebrating Independence Day on Tuesday.

Whether you’re grilling meals or lighting fireworks, the Mississippi Burn, Hand and Reconstruction Centers, as well as the Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, want families to stay safe.

The organizations teamed up to demonstrate the traumatic damaged that fireworks could cause.

They said keeping a water hose or fire extinguisher nearby are some ways to stay safe. Another way is to light fireworks one at a time.

“There’s a lot of good safety tips that are out there, and some really important rules to keep in mind. One would be like a blast zone, like having you a zone that you’re going to ignite those fireworks that children aren’t in and have like an adult, preferably a sober adult, that is actually like, yeah, that is lighting those fireworks off,” said Jose Swales, fire chief for the Ross Barnett Reservoir Fire Department.

Other precautions for a safe fireworks foray include:

• Keep a phone handy, just in case you need to call 911.
• Never use fireworks of any kind indoors.
• Never throw fireworks. A malfunctioning fuse could cause the item to go off in your hand.
• Never light fireworks held in someone’s hand.
• If the device does not have a warning and/or instructions label, do not fire it.
• Never stand over an item that does not fire.

It’s also important to stay safe while standing over the grill while preparing your guests’ favorite meals:

• Keep the grill at least 10 feet away from buildings or anything else that could catch fire.
• Check for leaks in fuel lines.
• Light the grill with the lid open.
• Only use lighter fluid. Never use gasoline as fuel for the fire.
• Never leave the grill unattended.

A 2022 report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission showed a 25% increase in firework-related injuries from 2006 until 2021.