- Details
- By Levi Rickert
With the summer upon us, it is a great time to spend time with family and friends at powwows, recreatiional activities, and other events. Don't let your fun be disrupted by unexpected accidents or unfortunate mishaps.
Follow good safety pratices so you can have the most fun:
Fireworks
Every year, thousands of people go to the emergency room with firework-related injuries around the 4th of July. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained professionals. After the fireworks display, children should never pick up fireworks that may be left over. They may still be active.
Sparklers
Sparklers can heat up to 1,200 degrees, cause severe burns.
- Make sure kids keep sparklers outside, away from their face, clothing and hair, and do not pick up used hot sparkler
- Supervise kids while they’re playing with sparklers, and dispense used sparklers into water bucket.
Campfires
Prevent your campfire from becoming a wildfire! Follow these tips from the National Fire Protection Agency:
- Check if you need a permit.
- Select a level, shaded location away from wind, dry brush, tents and other flammable materials.
- Campfires should be 25 feet away from anything that can burn: grass, leaves, needles.
- Scoop a slight hole in the cleared area to build the fire. Place a ring of rocks around it.
- Cut wood in short lengths. The fire should be built low. Tall, raging camp fires can create many burning embers.
- Never use gasoline or paper to start a fire.
- When burning, have a hose, a bucket of water, or shovel and dirt or sand nearby to extinguish the fire.
- Fire must never be left unattended, and the fire must be extinguished completely before everyone leaves camp. Children should always be supervised around a campfire.
More Stories Like This
Native Bidaské Live StreamChickasaw Jamie Jones Appointed to Leadership Role with California Department of Veterans Affairs
Get the Booklet: ‘Indian Boarding Schools: A Native News Online Reporting Project’
Oklahoma State University Receives $3.5M for Indigenous Foodways and Health Initiative.
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Our mission draws from the warrior spirit that has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations — the same spirit that drives us to stand guard over tribal rights through relentless investigation and fearless reporting.
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
