Fewer first responders will be available for the usual spike in firework incidents and ER visits during July 4th weekend one of America's most dangerous holidays

Get the Full StoryOn average, more Americans visit the emergency room on July 4 and 5 than any other day during the year, making it "by one measure, the most dangerous day of the year," according to the Pew Research Center.

First responders are already stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic, leaving some cities and towns worried about this year's Independence Day holiday, particularly when it comes to ER visits and the availability of first responders.

In Houston, a reported 307 firefighters are in quarantine for COVID-19 on the morning of July 4, leaving the department close to 100 short of a usual holiday shift, according to the local ABC affiliate.

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A double whammy of the coronavirus and a typical surge in emergency room visits around the US Independence holiday is leaving local governments with tough decisions in emergency management.

Both July 4 and 5 see the highest single-day ER visits in the US annually, according to data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System NEISS .See the rest of the story at Business InsiderNOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdownSee Also:The alarming ways the pandemic is hurting America's queer workersWhy did Trump do nothing about Russia's bounties on US troops?Dr. Fauci says the US could see 100,000 new COVID-19 cases per day 'if this does not turn around'

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