Nationwide, seven people died last year and 7,000 went to emergency rooms due to fireworks-related injuries. Omaha hospitals have already seen a handful of burn cases and expect to see more through Monday.

Even something as seemingly harmless as a sparkler can reach over 1,000 degrees. Sixteen percent of all fireworks injuries come from sparklers.

One of the worst injury cases in the metro happened four years ago when then 13-year-old Josh Berger was hit by a commercial grade firework. Even though it was lit from a hundred yard distance, it caused a deep nine-by-five inch wound.

"Basically, it made a hole where you could see straight through my whole body," says Berger. Now, 17, he still has a large scar on his hip, one which he may receive plastic surgery for at some point down the road.

His mother, Melody Berger, says doctors treated the wound like they would a bomb blast. "Gunpowder. They spent three-and-a-half hours is what we were told, cleaning him up before they could actually get in to see what was destroyed."

"And they had to repair both the small and large intestines and they took out my appendix," says Josh.

"It was not easy to look at him, but I knew he was going to be alright," says Melody. "It was just going to be a matter of time."

Time has been healing. Despite what he's been through, Josh still looks forward to fireworks each year. "I've learned to be more careful. I was really careless around fireworks until this happened."

He says we should all be aware of fireworks going off around us and be prepared to get out of the way. "Just be cautious and remember it can destroy," says Melody. "It's fire and it can hurt."

Each year, Safe Kids USA reports an estimated 2,600 children ages 14 and under require emergency treatment for fireworks-related injuries.

Children's Hospital and Medical Center provides tips for handling a burn injury. Doctors say to run cool water over the injury until the pain subsides, then cover the area loosely with a sterile gauze pad. Do not apply lotion, ointment or oils.

If the pain doesn't go away or if blisters develop, see a doctor. If the pain persists or if blisters develop, it's time to seek medical attention. Injuries to the eyes, face or palms of the hands should be treated immediately in a hospital emergency room.