Readers: Fireworks Bans Should Apply to Adults & Minors
More than half the respondents in the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll support bans on adult use of fireworks. I agree, the last thing we need is inebriated adults playing with pyrotechnics.
Here are the poll results
Q: Agree or disagree: Municipalities/counties should not ban adults from using fireworks on the 4th of July.
- Strongly agree 5 [20.83%]
- Agree 3 [12.5%]
- Somewhat agree 0 [0%]
- Neither agree or disagree 3 [12.5%]
- Somewhat disagree 0 [0%]
- Disagree 4 [16.67%]
- Strongly disagree 9 [37.5%]
- Unsure/No Answer 0 [0%]
Really, a third sport lifting bans on adult use?
Some will ignore bans or go to parts of the region where they’re not banned, so here are some safety tips:
- Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
- Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don’t realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals.
- Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
- Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
- Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
- Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
- Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
- After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
Not on the list — make sure your pets are safe, preferably indoors:
For many Americans, the Fourth of July means fireworks. For many dogs, those fireworks mean nothing short of terror.
People who have seen their otherwise good dogs cower in fear at the thunderous claps or whistling sounds that accompany modern pyrotechnics will probably not be surprised to know that about 45 percent of dogs have a fireworks phobia, according to a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science. (Huffington Post)
Like so many other things in life, fireworks are best left to the professionals. The Belleville News-Democrat has a list of fireworks show in the metro East, the Post-Dispatch has a rundown on downtown/Arch fireworks shows (Also great from Malcolm Martin Park in Illinois) and Fox2 has a list of fireworks shows on both sides of the river.
— Steve Patterson