Testimony - Jon Wills, Ohio Osteopathic Association, on HB 172 Fireworks (April 21, 2021)

Summary

Testimony of Jon Wills, Executive Director Emeritus (retired) of the Ohio Osteopathic Association, opposing HB 172, Fireworks Legalization and Regulation, dated April 21, 2021. Wills describes more than 45 years as a physician, patient and public health advocate and says the bill would permit consumer grade fireworks discharge 24 hours a day in the State of Ohio. The testimony cites the Ohio Department of Health for an average of 120 preventable injuries annually that result in emergency room visits, 17 percent of them to the eyes and 25 percent to Ohioans under 15 years of age. It also says the lack of statewide standards will lead to confusion and inconsistent enforcement for police and fire officials.

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                         TESTIMONY OF JON Wills
       Executive Director Emeritus (retired), Ohio Osteopathic Association.
              HB 172 —Fireworks Legalization and Regulation
                                 April 21, 2021


Chairman Stein, Vice Chair Johnson, Ranking Member Lepore-Hagan, and
Members of the Commerce and Labor Committee. My name is Jon Wills and I
have been a physician, patient and public health advocate for more than 45 years. I
am testifying today to express my strong opposition to House Bill 172, which
would permit Ohioans to discharge consumer grade fireworks in the State of Ohio
24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 a year.

There is no absolutely safe way to discharge fireworks in any setting. Displays of
any intensity should be left to the professionals. According to the Ohio Department
of Health, fireworks cause an average of 120 preventable injuries in Ohio annually
that result in visits to the emergency room – 17 percent of the injuries are to the
eyes and 25 percent occur to Ohioans under 15 of years of age. Nearly half of all
fireworks injuries are to innocent bystanders –many of them children. Of the
10,000 fireworks-related injuries last year, 36 percent were to children under the
age of 15, or nearly 3,600 children.

    Fireworks cause traumatic reactions to the explosions for an estimated
     100,000 Ohio veterans, suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
    Fireworks cause stress and anxiety for our household pets and farm animals;
     nearly 62 percent of Ohioans are pet owners.
    Firework discharges already cause mediation and enforcement dilemmas for
     police departments, fire officials and emergency responders. This bill will
     dramatically add to the problem.

While I am strongly opposed to HB 172 for public health concerns, this bill also
interferes with my rights as a property owner to ensure that my family and house
remains safe from loud noises, potential property damage and personal injuries
caused by the irresponsible discharge of consumer grade fireworks, particularly
during neighborhood parties where alcohol may be present.

True, HB 172 does allow counties, cities and some townships to either ban
fireworks or restrict the times and dates for consumer discharge. But the lack of
statewide standards will lead to confusion among Ohio consumers and
inconsistencies in enforcement for police and fire officials. For example, my home
is currently in the City of Columbus. The property behind my house is in Norwich
Township. Norwich Township’s law enforcement is handled through an
agreement with the City of Hilliard Police Department. I have already experienced
problems with open burning and noise issues and problems are seldom if ever
resolved on a timely basis. This means as an Ohio taxpayer, I will need to work
with three different jurisdictions to pass consistent fireworks ordinances and call
two different police departments when fireworks violations occur.

Firework displays in Ohio currently bring people together to celebrate national
holidays and other local festivities in a regulated and, hopefully, safer
environment. This bill, however, will potentially pit neighbor against neighbor, 24
hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days every year. I realize there are many
outstanding issues to be resolved with Ohio’s existing fireworks moratorium law –
and progress was being made in the last session – but HB 172 creates many more
new problems than it resolves at the present time. Thank you for allowing me to
testify today.


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