Banning fireworks doesn’t mean Independence Day every year can’t be celebrated. You can still have picnics, barbecues and fun. Just leave out the fireworks and firecrackers. The significant and long-lasting negative impact fireworks cause is far greater than the temporary enjoyment they offer.

According to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Fireworks fire & injury facts:

• Fireworks started an estimated 31,302 fires in 2022, including 3,504 structure fires, 887 vehicle fires, 26,492 outside fires, and 418 unclassified fires. These fires caused an estimated six civilian deaths, 44 civilian injuries and $109M in direct property damage.
• In 2022, U.S hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 10,200 people for fireworks related injuries; Over half of those injuries were to the extremities (29% hands and fingers, 19% legs, 5% arms) and 35% were to the eyes or other parts of the head.

Fireworks do not bring joy to everyone. They can cause real harm to veterans and others who suffer from PTSD. Pets (i.e., Dogs) have an acute sense of hearing. Dogs hear much higher frequencies than we can and can detect sounds from four times farther away. Fireworks that sound distant to you sound a lot closer to a dog.

The NFPA does not support the use of any consumer fireworks. They damage personal property, damage public property, terrorize our pets, blow up the fingers and hands of users, disrupt our neighbors with noise, cause stress and worry, both in the fear of their potential danger and the suddenness of their noise, they’re bad for the environment, they smell and our most vulnerable citizens, including children and war veterans, are the ones most susceptible to this stress.

It is my belief that Solon city leaders should join their counterparts in neighboring municipalities (North Liberty, Lisbon, Mount Vernon, Swisher, Shueyville, and Tiffin) recognizing the dangers inherent in permitting the use of fireworks. It is also my hope that other like-minded Solon residents contact council members and express their views in support of the ban.

Robert Zeman
Solon