A third of Territory Day hospital presentations were children according to authorities

A THIRD of hospital presentations for Territory Day fire cracker injuries were children, according to authorities

The annual Firework display as Territorians gather along the shores of Darwin Harbour to celebrate Territory Day. Pic Glenn Campbell

A THIRD of hospital presentations for Territory Day fire cracker injuries were children, according to authorities.

Territory hospital’s recorded 17 presentations for a range of minor burn, lacerations and ear related injuries, none of which are life threatening.

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Centre for Disease Control resident medical officer Dr Miranda Hamilton there were no serious injuries reported so far.

“Across the NT there’s been 17 presentations so far with fire works related injuries, the majority are burns but there have been some lacerations and ear injuries,” he said.

“The majority of people present on Territory night but there are people that present in the following days.”

Dr Hamilton said a third of presentations were children.

“Compared to previous years it looks like there has been less presentations but the data is still coming in, last year there was 38 presentations from July 1 to 6.

“There hasn’t been any severe or life threatening injuries presented at this stage. It sounds like people are listening to the safety messages and taking more care which is great to see.”

NT Fire and Rescue Service were called to 160 fires, a 50 per cent decrease on last year’s festivities.

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NT Fire and Rescue District Officer Ian Lockley the safety messages combined with favourable wind conditions prevented any fires from getting out of control.

“Across the Territory we had 160 calls, which was 50 per cent down on last year reasonably good for us,” he said.

“With the benign weather, we had extra resources up and we able to get onto them early.

I think people were behaving better, we got the messages out there.”

“We had about half the number of calls we had the previous year. It was busy for us and I’d like to thank all our volunteers.”