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Executive Summary <br />All across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the Independence Day celebrations in <br />2020. Social distancing, facial masks, sanitizing, working from home, and various levels of <br />quarantines have become the new societal norm for most residents in Orange County. 10 Orange <br />County cities permitted the sale of safe and sane fireworks in 2020, for a total of 208 stands <br />throughout the County. A total of 4 public fireworks displays provided safe celebration options for <br />the communities within Orange County. <br />In 2020, the injuries associated with fireworks increased to 32 total reported injuries. Last year, <br />Orange County reported 24 injuries that were related to fireworks. In comparison to the Consumer <br />Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) 2019 fireworks injury statistics, Orange County's total <br />fireworks injuries are less than expected for our population. While in 2019, reported Safe and Sane <br />fireworks -related injuries accounted for 12% of total injuries, this year, Safe and Sane injuries <br />accounted for only 6% of reported county -wide injuries. 25% of fireworks -related injuries were <br />due to illegal fireworks while the outstanding 69% of injuries remain unknown. As in previous <br />years, a majority of the reported injuries within Orange County were burns to the hands and fingers. <br />Firework injuries reported by hospital emergency rooms and urgent care facilities were mapped <br />and compared to areas where the sale of Safe and Sane fireworks has been permitted. Results are <br />a clear indication that hospitals near the cities where Safe and Sane firework sales are permitted, <br />did not necessarily report more injuries than those hospitals that are not near those same cities. <br />Orange County experienced a decrease in estimated property loss this year. However, the acreage <br />loss due to fireworks -related fires was significantly higher than it was in previous years. <br />Additionally, the reported amount of both consumer and illegal fireworks that were confiscated <br />(by local fire departments) this year has gone down over 1,700 pounds compared to 2019. <br />We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the fire departments and medical providers <br />in Orange County who contributed data to the analysis in this report. <br />3 <br />