Scare tactics credited for drop in New Year's fireworks injuries

MANILA, Philippines - Firecracker and other New Year's-relatedinjuries dropped to their lowest level in eight years after agovernment scare campaign advertised the long surgical saw andpliers used in amputations on victims, the Philippine healthsecretary said today.

The number of Filipinos injured by firecrackers and celebratorygunfire in end-of-year celebrations dropped by nearly half to 446compared to 2006, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said. One mandied after ingesting a firecracker, officials said.

"Filipinos chose to be safer this year," Duque told a newsconference, which he traditionally holds on Jan. 1 to announce gorydetails of the injuries and …