Here’s a quick question to go with your morning toast and coffee: What extremely popular firework can reach temperatures of well above 1,000 degrees?

Don’t know? Here’s a hint: It’s one that we often give our children.

If you’re thinking that surely it can’t be sparklers, think again.

According to the National Council on Fireworks Safety, sparklers, the firework that many parents think is safe for their children, can reach temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees.

“Red-hot metal is not something you want to touch,” says Dr. Shawn Griffin with Heartland Health.

But the Fourth of July is Friday, and fireworks, including sparklers, will be part of the celebration. Perhaps it’s the chance for people to assert their independence by literally letting freedom ring, or maybe it’s just the fascination with things that go boom. Whatever the reason, an explosion of common sense can help make the holiday a safe one.

“The main problem with common sense is assuming everyone has it,” Dr. Griffin says.

So, Dr. Griffin, Sydni Kovac, manager of Kovac’s Fireworks in St. Joseph, and Craig Wilds and Jason Ziph of the St. Joseph Fire Department offer safety tips to help you avoid injury, avoid injuring someone else and avoid setting something on fire.

First, make sure you know what fireworks are allowed and which are banned where you live. For St. Joseph, it’s pretty much anything that goes boom (to view the ordinance, log on the city of St. Joseph’s Web site at www.ci.st-

joseph.mo.us/)

The National Council on Fireworks Safety says only to purchase fireworks from a licensed stand or store and not to purchase any firework that is not clearly labeled. The Consumer Products Safety Commission regulates consumer fireworks, and those fireworks have safety warnings and the country of origin on the packaging.

Read the directions and follow them, our experts say.

“Don’t hold any in your hands,” Mr. Wilds and Mr. Ziph say.

Fireworks, Ms. Kovac says, should be lit from a flat, stable surface outside. Never use them inside.

Only light one firework at a time, Ms. Kovac adds. Make sure you have a clear area when shooting fireworks, our firemen recommend.

Don’t throw fireworks at other people or animals, says Dr. Griffin. So, forgo the bottle rocket wars.

And don’t try to relight that “dud” firework. Have a bucket of water or a hose handy in case of a fire. Also, you can drop the duds in the water.

The National Council of Fireworks Safety recommends that no one under 16 should use fireworks without adult supervision. And when using those sparklers, the council adds that children shouldn’t touch the lit part, throw them or play games with them. Ms. Kovac says that bamboo sparklers are available. Experts recommend the same safety precautions for those, as well.

This one should be a no-brainer: Never mix alcohol and fireworks.

“There are a lot of ways that people can avoid getting hurt,” Ms. Kovac says.

No one is trying to take away any rights to have fun on the Fourth. However, letting freedom ring shouldn’t include a trip to the emergency room.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com