Approved Human Sacrifices: The Deadly Fireworks Tradition

The recent tragic New Year's fireworks-related deaths and injuries in Hawaii and beyond are heartbreaking reminders of an obtuse subcultural tacit approval of human sacrifice via fireworks.

Human sacrifice resulting in death was purposefully practiced by ancient cultures including the Aztecs, Mayans, Chinese, and others; often as part of religious rituals or to appease deities.

In modern US subculture, the sacrifices come in the form of holiday fireworks accompanied by predictable but accidental mayhem and death.

The contemporary Russian-Roulette version of human sacrifice by fireworks often involves alcohol-infused handlers launching illegal aerial incendiaries that can explode in horrific ways.

It would, of course, be preferable to leave the missile-launching to the professionals but alas; every holiday-drunken rocket-man is another "hold-my-beer" expert in the field of bomb-handling. Then, and all too frequently, Darwinism prevails as they thin the herd of those unfit for continued survival with complete appendages.

The tragic and unacceptable collateral damages are those innocent and unwitting victims who were simply on the periphery of the disasters.

In 2023

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) 2023 Report, fireworks-related deaths and injuries were reported as follows:

Deaths

• In 2023, there were 8 reported non-occupational fireworks-related deaths. The circumstances of these deaths included the following:
• 5 deaths associated with fireworks misuse
• 2 deaths associated with device malfunction
• 1 death involved unknown circumstances

Note: Those 2023 numbers are considered minimums, as reporting may be incomplete.

Injuries

The CPSC estimated approximately 9,700 fireworks-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2023. This translates to an estimated rate of 2.9 emergency department-treated injuries per 100,000 individuals in the United States, which is a slight decrease from 3.1 estimated injuries per 100,000 individuals in 2022.

Injury Trends

Despite recent declines since 2020, there has been an overall increasing trend in fireworks-related injuries from 2008 to 2023, with an average increase of 561 injuries per year.

Types of Injuries

• Hands and fingers were the most commonly injured body parts (35% of injuries)
• Head, face, and ears accounted for 22% of injuries
• Eyes accounted for 19% of injuries
• Burns made up about 42% of the emergency department-treated fireworks-related injuries

In 2024 (accounting incomplete)

Based on the available information, there were several deaths reported from 2024, with the most significant incident occurring in Hawaii on New Year's Eve.

The tragic explosion in a Honolulu neighborhood on New Year's Eve 2024 resulted in at least five fatalities and critically injured 20 others. One three year old child victim died a few days later from burns. It was one of the most severe fireworks-related accidents reported in 2024. Another fireworks death also occurred elsewhere on the island bringing the Honolulu County death toll thus far to five.

Hundreds of thousands of permits are issued for authorized and legal non-aerial fireworks in Honolulu County every year. But offenders can also obtain unlawful smuggled fireworks, or disassemble and remove the powder from smaller firecrackers and reassemble the contents into much larger explosives.

Other Reported Fatalities

While full data for the entire year of 2024 is not available, there were other fireworks-related deaths reported across the United States during Fourth-of-July celebrations included the following:

• A 34-year-old man died after handling fireworks on Chicago's Northwest Side
• A 25-year-old man died in a fireworks mishap in LaSalle, Illinois
• In South Carolina, a 41-year-old man died after igniting a large firework device and placing it on his head
• In Alabama, a 20-year-old man from Harvest suffered fatal injuries in a fireworks accident in Madison County

Government Response

In the wake of the latest tragedies, authorities are predictably calling for increased penalties for offenders along with more enforcement activity and improved public awareness.

Drone Entertainment Alternatives?

The trend towards flying lighted drone displays for celebrations and holidays is rapidly gaining popularity as a captivating alternative to traditional fireworks. This emerging form of entertainment combines cutting-edge technology with creative artistry to produce mesmerizing aerial spectacles.

Conclusion

In some ways, our culture has evolved from human sacrifice, in other ways....not so much.

It is unlikely that increases in penalties, more law enforcement and improved prevention activities will have much effect on the explosive-obsessed sub-culture. We can anticipate the next wave of sad human sacrifices at the next bomb-fest holiday.

Perhaps someday our species will evolve and replace destructive fireworks with something less lethal; until then, take cover.

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