As long as there is a hospital near and you don't go around yelling, "Hey y'all, watch this!" Down here, that pretty much means, "Please call 911 and help me find my fingers." <bg> LOL!
Believe it or not, I'm very careful. I launch from a large asbestos pad, I use a longneck lighter and I wear a glove on my right hand. I check every piece in the afternoon to make sure the fuse looks OK, and I give them a quick shake to make sure nothing is wrong. Most injuries that occur are from people doing really really stupid things with them.
The backyard where I do this is a few acres, and everyone else is up on the patio deck, several hundred feet away. The only injury I've ever had was when I ran after lighting one...I tripped on damp grass, fell on my side, and cracked a rib. A small price to pay for the party gods....
I'll admit, I'm an attention-wh**e, and this tradition has made me a local hero. (There's actuall a police chief who lives in the area, is aware of this, and leaves it alone)
