Chicago firefighters demonstrate fireworks safety ahead of July 4th

CHICAGO - Fire officials and medical experts gathered in Chicago to talk about the dangers of fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July holiday 

At a news conference Tuesday, they offered tips for keeping your family safe. 

They said fireworks injuries are up 25% in recent years. They recommend leaving it to the professionals by attending a community display. 

The danger being that even a legal sparkler can ignite clothing in just seconds, as one mother knows all too well. 

"My daughter was 5 years old when a sparkler lit the back of her dress on fire, so she ran away from the parents and everybody and her whole dress lit up, so 70 percent of her body was full of burns, so she has scarring from her knees to her shoulders," she said.

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A local veterinarian also said now is a good time to get antianxiety medication for your pet. Firework explosions can easily send dogs with keen hearing running. 

So it's also a good time to make sure their tags are up-to-date so they can be brought home.