Doctors Warn: Be Extra Cautious This Fourth of July, and Let the Experts Handle the Fireworks
June 29, 2026
This Fourth of July, Minnesota physicians are once again urging their fellow Minnesotans to leave the fireworks up to the professionals.
Minnesota Doctors plead, leave fireworks to the experts
June 23, 2022
The Fourth of July holiday is fast approaching and once again Minnesota’s physicians want to remind their fellow residents to leave the lighting of fireworks to the professionals.
“We urge Minnesotans to play it safe and let the experts handle the fireworks this summer,” said MMA President Randy Rice, MD. “Every year, many Minnesotans are injured and wind up in the emergency department because of injuries caused by fireworks.”
According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission an estimated 15,600 fireworks-related injuries were treated in emergency departments in 2020. Eighteen people died because of these injuries. This is a 50% increase in deaths and injuries between 2019 and 2020.
Nearly 45% of the injuries were burns. Sixteen hundred people were hurt by firecrackers, and 900 were hurt by seemingly harmless sparklers. The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers (an estimated 30%); head, face, and ears (an estimated 22%); and eyes (an estimated 15%).
About the Minnesota Medical Association
The Minnesota Medical Association is a non-profit professional association representing physicians, residents and medical students. With more than 11,000 members, the MMA is dedicated to being the leading voice of medicine to make Minnesota the healthiest state and the best place to practice.
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Minnesota Physicians Focus on Five Priorities for Legislative Session
February 11, 2026
The state’s largest advocacy group for Minnesota physicians and physicians-in-training will advocate for five key legislative priorities at the Capitol this session, which begins February 17. The group will hold its annual Physicians’ Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, March 4, bringing together physicians and physicians-in-training from across the state to meet with their elected officials.
“Dozens of healthcare-related bills go through the Capitol each session,” said Lisa Mattson, MD, the Minnesota Medical Association’s (MMA) president. “But to make an impact for patients and medical practice in Minnesota, we really need to focus our efforts on a few top issues.”