Independence Day is almost here. We are sending you our finest Red, White and Blue Greetings! Of course, the doctors and staff at FLASS want you to have fun during Independence Day Celebrations this week holiday week. However, we also want you to remember this holiday presents some unique triggers for people with asthma or COPD. In this Year’s blog, we did not leave out cautions for healthy people either. So, you will find in this blog, complete alerts for the dangers that are triggers as well as the July 4 safety dangers that are not good for anybody.
Independence Day Alert: Triggers of an Independence Day Outing
Doctors and Researchers Are Discovering New Ways to Protect Consumers.
Difficulty breathing can quickly destroy the happy mood of a July 4 holiday. Beware, especially if you already suffer from asthma attacks or COPD. In this blog, see how certain triggers can ignite an exacerbation of asthma or COPD. And we of FLASS prefer you to avoid that Emergency Room visit on July 4th or any fine summer holiday.
1. The Barbecue Pit or Grill Case: Experts recommend you clear a 3-foot area around the grill. Counters, tree branches and paper plates cause fires that can ruin a picnic! If you have a normal respiratory system, a little fire like this can still be trouble. Burns and smoke inhalation are not fun ways to spend your Independence Day. Judy Comoletti, director of public education at the National Fire Protection Association blames stacks of paper plates as the number one cause of barbecue fires in the United States.
2. The “Yes, We Will Pick On Fireworks” Case: You see, the medical profession is well aware that every July 4, there are 8,800 people who wish they had not played with amateur fireworks displays. These are the people rushed to the hospital for burns and eye injuries.
Here’s your July 4 shopping list for the worst offenders against flesh and blood: Roman Candles, M-80’s and the seemingly innocent, incredibly hot sparklers. According to the experts who sell them, “Sparklers burn at a temperature between 1800° and 3000° Fahrenheit. Most people cite the temperature to be 2000° Fahrenheit, but this is a generalization. There are a number of factors that determine what the temperature of a sparkler is. Everything from the length of your sparklers to the color that they burn changes their hottest temperature.” And they add that Gold ones burn the hottest.
“Gold sparklers are accepted as the hottest sparkler available. There is less filler and no color pigments added to gold sparklers to cause lower temperatures. These are typically labeled as wedding sparklers or metal wire sparklers, and come in a variety of sizes. Though the length and girth of the sparkler can affect its overall temperature, golden sparklers typically have a temperature of around 2400° Fahrenheit.”
These are specially designed for children? And they are very appealing to little girls in fluffy fairy wings? That’s amazing and very scary. We have a better, safer, healthier idea:
The Value of Professional Pyrotechnic Independence Day Shows
Celebrations and Independence day
The Florida Lung Doctors hopes your family will attend a nice, safe, professional pyrotechnics show in your community instead of playing with the ones for home use. In Orlando, we highly recommend Red Hot and Boom or Fireworks at the Fountain. And we hope you attend it from a nice distance because fireworks make smoke and small particulate matter, which both asthmatic and healthy lungs hate!
Smoke and particulate matter are triggers for asthma. If you or your child has asthma, consider watching firework displays from an indoor location or a far distance.
The FLASS Final Word on Independence Day Fireworks: Safety Alert
At the American College of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (ACAAI), the experts put it this way, “Fireworks and campfires are a staple of the 4th of July, but smoke can cause asthma symptoms to flare. Allergists recommend keeping your distance from campfires – and if you have to be near one, sit upwind if possible. If you can’t resist the fireworks, consider wearing a NIOSH N95 rated filter mask to keep smoke out of your lungs, and always carry your reliever inhaler.”
2. Unholy Smoke, Batman! Don’t Breathe. That is a quote from an ancient Batman Comic. Although we can’t say July 4 Smoke comes from an unholy Super Villain, it might act like it does. Simple Smoke from Barbecues or Fire Pits can overcome an asthmatic patient almost before you know what is happening.
Like fireworks, smoke from fires such as barbecues, bonfires or fire pits can also trigger asthma. Our advice if you must attend such a party for Independence Day, try to stay out of the path of the smoke, and avoid those Tiki Torches like the plague. Just like an innocent campfire, they can trigger a reaction.
3. Star Spangled Grass Pollen. Okay, you might say, so those of us with asthma must avoid fire and smoke during the Independence Holiday. What else is going to get us? Our answer—and coming in at number 3 on our list of the hazards of Independence Day are the tiniest offenders: pollen.
Grass pollens proliferate in many regions of the US right now. “The top pollen in many areas during the summer is grass pollen. In northern regions of the United States, grasses usually pollinate in the late spring or early summer. In southern regions, grasses may pollinate throughout many seasons and could trigger symptoms throughout the year.” So watch out for contact sports in the park and running through the woods.
4. Other July 4 Triggers Include All Kinds of Scents. Independence Day Party Time Can Be Trigger Time. At any July 4 party, scented candles and anti-insect citronella candles also pollute the air and trigger asthma.
a. Avoid the candles.
b. Run away from scented oil in tiki torches, like we mentioned previously in this article.
c. Be cautious if guests are wearing strong perfumes, colognes and other body-care items that could trigger your asthma.
d. Remember if you are visiting someone’s home or staying in a hotel, those odor-hiding fragrances and air fresheners can be asthma triggers.
5. A Mysterious Effect of Sand Castles: If you are spending the Fourth of July at the beach, we want you to know that statistics show that there is a hazard to digging in the sand. At least it is not just for asthmatics. Anyone who digs in the sand, has 13% more chance of stomach flu-like symptoms than those who do not did. Thus, we remind you to pack your inhaler, and your hand sanitizer. Use the sanitizer before you eat your picnic or touch your face. And if you know hand sanitizer is an allergy trigger for you, use simple soap and water.
A Final FLASS Patriotic Wish
Now that you know about all these Independence Day triggers and little hazards, we know you take precautions and still make wonderful memories with your friends and families this July 4th. Happy Independence Day!
