Fireworks are out of control in America and no one seems to care. I’m sure my calls to stop the fireworks will be ignored.
I may be focusing on the millions of pets who suffer from panic attacks caused by fireworks explosions, but humans suffer from them too.
In many ways, we treat veterans so poorly, offering them little support once they risk their lives for us. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a record number of veterans are returning from their service with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fireworks also trigger their brains according to the VA, reminding them of the sounds of war. Fireworks can cause a panic attack.
People on the spectrum tend to be sensitive to sound, so it’s no surprise that fireworks can also cause discomfort and even outright panic. To be clear according to experts some people on the spectrum enjoy bright lights, bangs, and booms. But others not so much, especially children, and some are downright terrified. As with pets, there is no way to explain the nature of all this noise to young children on the spectrum.
No one knows if there will be a long-term impact, but the fireworks disorient birds and cause terror in many animals, to say the least. In the United States alone, fireworks cause 18,500 fires per year and are also responsible for wildfires.
According to United States Product Safety Commission, in 2021, 11,500 people suffered fireworks injuries serious enough to report. Of the injuries, 32 percent were burns. Deaths have also been recorded following the use of fireworks – at least nine people died from the use of fireworks in 2021 and 26 in 2020. This data does not include children who, according to a pediatrician at the University of Washington, noted that these fireworks can actually rupture a child’s eardrum and cause permanent damage.
Additionally, the lighting and use of fireworks releases a large amount of air pollutants. On July 4, some areas will see their pollution levels increase significantly and will remain high for days. This poses a serious health problem for people with pre-existing conditions.
In addition, debris from fireworks often ends up in water, as well as fine particles produced by fireworks. Some communities have banned fireworks over lakes used for drinking water, and those that haven’t already probably should.
So what about fireworks? Tradition, or they are pretty.
Light shows, such as those created by drones, are arguably even prettier. They are also slightly cheaper.
Even where fireworks are illegal, they are found in communities. I suggest that pets have rights. Some will say that, but how can you argue that humans on the spectrum or our veterans or other PTSD sufferers don’t deserve fireworks. Plus, it turns out that the fireworks season is extended every year. At one time, fireworks could be heard from around July 3rd to July 5th. But today, the fireworks start around mid-June and continue well past the 4th.
Unfortunately, my protests against fireworks – even if I have data to support my arguments – will probably achieve nothing.