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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

DOH: 145 Yuletide-related firecracker injuries so far



Every year, the Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines holds it campaign against firecrackers particularly during the holiday season.
But it seems that Filipinos ignore bans until they suffer from injuries.
The DOH reported that at least 145 injuries were caused by several kinds of firecrackers such as Piccolo, Kwitis, and Five Star.
Age range of the victims was between one and 55. There were 24 who suffered from eye injuries while 13 suffered from amputation.
The DOH further reported that 96 directly handled the firecrackers while 23 were under the influence of alcohol.
One case of firecracker ingestion was reported. A 44-year-old woman from Bulacan died after ingesting 64 sticks of Piccolo--a pop-out type of pyrotechnic that explodes upon hitting hard objects.
There were also six cases of stray bullet injuries. Three of these occurred at home. Age range of victims was between 11 and 29.
According to TV Patrol, the police made a symbolic gesture to refrain from firing this season by sealing their guns with tape, an act they do every year. However, one gun accidentally fired while the cop was disengaging the bullets. No one was injured, and the cop was punished by lame push-ups.
The DOH urged all community leaders to actively participate in the drive against firecrackers to control the number of injuries.
Author's note: In the neighborhood where he lives, school-age children are actively playing with the banned materials, as if there were no ongoing campaign. Authorities, parents, and community leaders must strictly enforce the drive, or else it will be a painful way to welcome the new year with some body parts missing, or worse, houses turning into ash. Watch the attached YouTube video to see how Filipinos welcome the New Year.
allvoices

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