The July 4th holiday weekend is coming up, and the City of Chicago wants to make sure people send it safely.

Officials from the Chicago Fire Department on Tuesday highlighted the dangers of fireworks, and just how quickly fun can turn into tragedy.

At a demonstration at the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital, the CFD placed its focus on sparklers, saying while they may seem harmless, they account for the second highest percentage of fireworks injuries.

A mannequin clad in a button-down shirt was used in a demonstration of how dangerous fireworks can be, as sparklers were placed near the mannequin and lot. Firefighters put out the resulting blaze, but not before the shirt was destroyed and the mannequin's chest and abdomen were charred.

What happened to the mannequin could very easily happen to a real person, and has, officials emphasized. One mother said it only took a few seconds for her daughter's life to change forever.

"It was a sparkler that caught my daughter's dress on fire when she was 5," said Aileen Marquez. "She'll never be able to wear shorts or tank tops without her scars showing from the skin grafts."

Officials, as they have for decades, advised that the best thing is to leave the fireworks to professionals.

Meanwhile, firefighter also focused on protecting pets.

"More pets are lost on the 4th of July than any other holiday, and that's because pets have such a strong sense of hearing that these fireworks sound a lot like bombs," said Dr. Leslie Juarez-Law of West Loop Veterinary Care.

Veterinarians recommend that people ensure their pets' collars, IDs, and microchips are all up to date with contact information.