The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained professionals. However, if you decide to put on your own show, follow these safety tips:Ìý

• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area.
• Keep water handy in case of fire.
• Light fireworks one at a time and move back quickly.
• Never re-light or pick up fireworks that did not fully ignite.
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Sparklers burn at temperatures up to 2,000 degrees – hot enough to cause a third degree burn.
• Bring your pets inside.

You could also be having fun in the sun with delicious barbeque or celebrating on the water.

Remember to:Ìý

• Wear sunscreen.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
• Keep children and pets away from grilling areas if cooking outside.
• Place your grill well away fromÌýyour home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• While on the water, always wear a life jacket.
• Make sure your boat is properly equipped and that all required equipment is functioning properly.
• Boating and alcohol do not mix. Along with decreasing the operator’s ability to make good judgments, the consumption of alcohol negatively affects the ability of passengers to respond in case of an emergency.
• Lookout for other boats and bad weather.

For more safety tips, visit the website of the .

The easiest and safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained professionals. However, if you decide to put on your own show, follow these safety tips:

• Before setting off fireworks, make sure you are in a wide open area, staying clear of utility lines and trees.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that do not fully ignite.
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Remember – Sparklers burn at temperatures up to 2,000 degrees – hot enough to cause a third degree burn.
• Bring your pets inside. Loud noises and bright lights are frightening, which can cause them to run away.
• Use television or radio sounds to mute the loud noises. This will help pets stay calm and comforted.

For more safety tips, visit the website of the .ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 458,000 customers in 27 counties. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $10.8 billion and nearly 13,000 employees.

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We typically celebrate birthdays by blowing out a few candles paired with a sugary confection, but thousands will celebrate our country’s birthday this week with a combination of fireworks and a visit to the emergency room. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, on average, 280 people go toÌýthe emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the Fourth of July holiday.Ìý

The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained professionals. However, if you decide to put on your own show, follow these safety tips:Ìý

• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that did not fully ignite.
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Remember – Sparklers burn at temperatures up to 2,000 degrees – hot enough to cause a third degree burn.
• Bring your pets inside. Loud noises and bright lights are frightening, which can cause them to run away.
• Use television or radio sounds to mute the loud noises. This will help pets stay calm and comforted.

While fireworks may be the obvious danger this holiday, you’ll likely be having fun in the sun with delicious barbeque or celebrating on the water. Remember to:Ìý

• Wear sunscreen while sporting your red, white and blue.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area if cooking outside.
• Place your grill well away fromÌýyour home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease buildup.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• While on the water, always wear a life jacket.
• Make sure your boat is properly equipped and that all required equipment is functioning properly.
• Boating and alcohol do not mix. Along with decreasing the operator’s ability to make good judgments, the consumption of alcohol negatively affects the ability of passengers to respond in case of an emergency.
• Keep a sharp lookout for other boats, bad weather or anything unusual.

For more safety tips, visit the website of the .Ìý

Each year, U.S. hospitals treat that are related to fireworks. 68% of these reported injuries are during the Fourth of July weekend. So what can you do to keep this weekend injury-free? Here are some safety tips to get you through the holiday weekend.

Keep fireworks out of reach of children and young adults

The Facts: 31% of the estimated fireworks-related injuries came from children 15 years of age or younger. Adults aged 20-24 had the highest rate of firework-related injuries at five injuries per 100,000 people. Be sure to when you are lighting fireworks. A third of firework-related injuries are to the hands and fingers.

Safety Tips: To avoid firework injuries, , be sure to check if and what fireworks are legal in your area before buying them. Never allow young children to play or ignite fireworks. Always have adult supervision. Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Never try to re-light or pick up dud fireworks. Keep a bucket of water handy in case a mishap happens. Light fireworks one at a time, then move back slowly. Do not shoot fireworks at people.Ìý

Whatever floats your boat

The Facts: According to the , drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind car crashes. Nonfatal drowning injuries can result in serious, long-term brain damage. Males own 80% of drowning fatalities and children ages 1-4 have the highest drowning rate.

Safety Tips: Before releasing your boat off the ramp, be sure to keep in mind a few safety tips provided by the for on the water activities. Never consume alcohol while driving a boat. Check that the boat is properly equipped with enough life preservers on hand and wear them when out on the water. Swim only in areas you are comfortable and skilled enough to swim in, and bring a buddy so you do not have to swim alone. Protect your skin by limiting your time in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and always use sunscreen. Stay hydrated, drinking plenty of water before your outdoor activities and replenish throughout the day.

Save lives on the road

The Facts: The estimates over 450 people may be killed and an additional 53,600 may be seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes during the Fourth of July weekend. Since 2010, more than 37 percent of fatal crashes during the Fourth of July holiday have involved alcohol.

Safety Tips: Do not operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated and designate a driver for the weekend. Avoid driving tired or late at night. Avoid using your cell phone. Make sure all passengers are buckled up and not distracting the driver. Ìýestimates 181 lives could be saved this holiday weekend by wearing your seatbelt.

Grill and chill

The Facts: According to the , five out of six grills involved in home fires were fueled by gas while 13% used charcoal or other solid fuel. More than 16,000 patients went to emergency rooms because of injuries involving grills with over half of those injuries were thermal burns.

Safety Tips: Most of these causes are due to dirty grills, having the grill too close to flammable objects, or leaving the grill unattended. Check your grill’s hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Check to make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing. Make sure your grill is set up flat and upright. Never store flammable liquids near the grill or indoors, and keep gas-filled containers out of hot cars or trunks.Ìý

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Steven Oubre is an intern with the corporate communications team based at the Entergy Corporate headquarters. He recently received his Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing & Communications from Ole Miss. He also has a Bachelor of Science in Sport Administration from LSU.