Personal use fireworks injure people, cause fires and contaminate our air and water. Our veterans with PTSD suffer from the sound of fireworks. Our pets and wildlife panic with each boom, and sometimes die from ingesting toxins in the remnants. Fireworks cost taxpayers money for the overtime required to protect people and property.
In 2014, there were twice as many injuries in Washington State caused by legal fireworks than by illegal fireworks. This year, a Maple Valley mother had to dive on top of her three-year-old daughter to protect her from a legal firework that misfired. It hit the mother, whose badly burned leg will be scarred for life. What if it had hit her daughter?
Fireworks caused several acres to burn on the Elk Run Golf Course site. Many smaller fires burned vegetation in our yards, threatening homes. The Maple Valley Fire Department added two people on overtime in order to have an extra fire unit available, yet were still overwhelmed with calls because of the number of fires.
Fireworks are a danger we can control. Let’s limit their use to professional displays. Vote “yes” to ban fireworks in the City of Maple Valley.
Statements submitted by: Linda Olson, banfireworks.98038@gmail.com
