Last year over the 4th of July, a family's home was damaged in Omaha, Nebraska from neighborhood fireworks ... even as they responsibly attended professional displays.
People just don't get it! There's talk now that Omaha may allow the sale of fireworks for sales tax revenue vs residents going to surrounding communities/states. It's not the noise of the fireworks that's upseting(although it can be unnerving) ... it's the lives and properties lost because of them being ignited in crowded neighborhoods and by 'lawnchair' professionals.
Please .. attend some of the spectacular displays hosted in communities across America and let your neighborhood host picnics and such. It's safer and the responsible thing to do! You'll also be doing a huge favor to infants and pets.
Leave a Comment:
We have seen this in our own neighborhood. Kids are injured in their own back yards, homes burn down, infants cry at all the noise, pets become nervous and unsettled, numerous injuries on those lighting them or the spectators watching and other property ruined (vehicles, RVs and Campers, mailboxes, lawn decorations, patios and etc).
Just be responsible .. go to where they have planned events for your 4th of July fireworks.
I agree, Husker88Fan!
Since many incidents (especially relatively minor ones) were probably not reported, the actual numbers are probably much higher than listed in the above quote from the article.
Yes. Every year there's some tragedy, not to mention lots of damage, with the DIY crowd.
When I was a kid we always had a huge 4th of July party that included a lot of backyard fireworks. No houses were damaged no injuries sustained, might be because my Dad refused to let us/guests set them off where ever they wanted. He had a designated area set up and only one person at a time was allowed to light anything up. That worked well for him for over 20 years. Too bad others don't observe safety and spoil what could be a great/fun experience.
Fletch-495299, I am thankful you experienced no damage and were apparently supervised well.
But, I am not sure what type of fireworks you had. I think any backyard fireworks that go up in the air have a chance of landing on a roof. Was your designated area far away from the house and other structures?
Pretty much every type, from fire crackers to large rockets. We were lucky as our property like a lot or rural places had large tracts of open land. We had 20 acres behind the house.
Fletch-495299, thanks for the additional information about your spacious backyard! That certainly gave you more room to shoot fireworks off safely -- especially if the "open land" lacked any dry material that would burn.
Your dad seems to have handled the fireworks issue much more responsibly than most and probably taught you well, too.
Yes, Fletch-495299, lucky indeed. I'm in SW Omaha and houses today sit so close together that the residents can't even mow between the homes at the same time. Not ideal conditions for a fireworks show.
There is so much each community offers and families should just take advantage of it. A couple of years ago, I took my Mom, Dad and Sister to Breakfast, Sac Museum, the Wildlife refuge, out to dinner and then we went and sat next to the Missouri river to watch Rosenblatt's fireworks by Ameristar. A splendid day and evening enjoyed by all .. except my Dad and Sister got bitten by sand fleas LOL.