Testimony Statement - Sarah Tackett on SB 113 and HB 172, Revise the Fireworks Law (April 21, 2021)

Summary

Testimony statement of Sarah Tackett on HB 172, Revise the Fireworks Law, dated April 21, 2021, rising in opposition to SB 113 and HB 172. The statement lists reasons including effects on pets and wildlife, children and adults with sensory issues, additional physical injuries, and a burden on first responders, and says people in Pennsylvania are calling for repealing the change. It says post-traumatic stress disorder affects up to 20% of those who served in Afghanistan or Iraq and up to 30% of Vietnam veterans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It asks the committee not to support House Bill 172 and Senate Bill 113 and recommends limiting fireworks to 1-7 Jul each year.

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                  Testimony Statement on HB 172: Revise the Fireworks Law

                                            SARAH TACKETT
                                           2803 Carriage Lane
                                          Springfield OH 45505
                                          Home: 937-325-0275
                                           Cell: 937-408-4588

                                             April 21, 2021

Good afternoon. My name is Sarah Tackett, from Springfield OH and I rise in opposition of SB 113 and
HB 172. I am a member of the Military Ministry at First Christian Church in Springfield OH.

I love fireworks on the 4th of July but not the other 364 days of the year, and I have not spoken to one
person that favors that. We have to put up with it for generally a whole week which in itself gets pretty
annoying. But just being annoyed isn’t a reason to ban them the rest of the year. I would like to give
you a few reasons.

1.   Fireworks have a detrimental effect on our pets and wildlife. The noise from fireworks causes a
     great amount of fear, stress and anxiety in wild animals. That fear causes them to flee, sometimes
     abandoning nests or running into roadways. Domestic animals shake in fear and often look for a
     hiding place or seek comfort wearing a special jacket and being held by their owner. Many dogs
     perceive fireworks as a real threat, which triggers their “flight” response. They may even show signs
     of anxiety and restlessness, like panting, whining and pacing. A friend who has horses said it really
     makes her horses very nervous and frightened.

2. Children and adults with sensory issues, such as those seen on the autism spectrum, find fireworks
   to be an assault on the senses rather than a good time. The sudden noises and brightly colored
   patterns, mixed with the ambient darkness can actually feel physically painful for those with sensory
   issues. I have an adult neighbor that suffers with this and hates fireworks, he hides in a closet when
   they’re going off.

3. The mere fact of additional increase in physical injuries such as the loss of fingers, a hand, or even
   an eye is a high price to pay for legalization of fireworks. The bill currently would prohibit use of
   fireworks if drinking. Fireworks and drinking seem to go hand in hand and that won’t be prevented
   just because a bill says not to do it.

4. It’s been over five years since Pennsylvania made it legal for residents to buy and set off bigger
   fireworks and already the list of people calling for repealing the change is exploding. People are
   going to municipal meetings to complain about the fire risk posed from neighbors setting them off
   too close to their homes. They complain about the noise and its effects on pets and children trying
   to sleep. You need to look at other states where this has become legal.

5. It can end up being an additional burden on our first responders. Fireworks burn down houses,
   damage entertainment venues, frighten children and adults, cause brushfires, noise from fireworks
   can cause distress, especially when fireworks sound like gunfire.

That brings me to the main reason that I believe fireworks should not be made legal 365 days a year
and that is the effect on our veterans who suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is
unfortunately common in veterans who have seen combat, affecting up to 20% of those who served in
Afghanistan or Iraq, and up to 30% of Vietnam veterans according to the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs. I know this personally as I have a son-in-law who spent his career in the military with one tour
in Iraq, and two tours in Afghanistan. He suffers from PTSD, but he may be one of the fortunate ones
that didn’t serve 6-8 tours or even more. When he and my daughter go to a restaurant he has to sit
facing the door and she tries to face the kitchen to watch for loud noises. She missed it one day when
the employees came out clapping loudly for a birthday celebration and my son-in-law ducked under the
table.

A hallmark of PTSD is the tendency to experience flashbacks to the traumatic event, which are triggered
by environmental stimuli. For war veterans, the bursts of light and explosive sounds of fireworks can
easily trigger a flashback to combat.

One year on Independence Day, Kevin Rhoades, a veteran combat marine, planted a sign on his lawn
outside his Texas home that bore a simple message, “COMBAT VETERAN LIVES HERE, PLEASE BE
COURTEOUS WITH FIREWORKS.” They were not; it didn’t matter to those around him. Fireworks
pose a genuine threat to some PTSD sufferers and can cause them to act out violently. Veterans often
say they can tolerate the “planned” fireworks but the sudden ones that erupt in his neighborhood
transport him back to Baghdad. One veteran just said that a smell or a sound can take them right back
to Fallujah.

Another Georgia veteran with PTSD killed himself after he became agitated by fireworks. And in
Wisconsin a veteran with PTSD went outside and fired shots into the air after early fireworks “triggered
him”. He was arrested on a firearms charge, but he was in his words he was “freaking-out” and thought
he was back in Afghanistan.

There is no question that fireworks for some with PTSD are a trigger and cause flashbacks. The rate of
suicide among our veterans is at a rate of about one and half times that of the civilian community. These
are individuals who have sacrificed much, many the loss of their families for inability to cope with some
of the stresses, when they return home.

We owe it to our loving household pets we have, children and adults with special needs, our first
responders and most of all our veterans to be considerate of their needs, not just our pure enjoyment.

I am the daughter of a WWII Pacific veteran. I worked for the AF for 38 years. I have a daughter that
had an exemplary AF career for 21 years, I have a son-in-law that served over 25 years and was a Chief
Master Sergeant, a nephew that was a Lt Col, C-5 Command Pilot and another nephew that was a crew
chief on the C-130. I’ve been very active in our military ministry at my church for seven years, and have
helped out for two years with the Honor Field at Jackson, Lytle, & Lewis celebration center. I love the
military and all our veterans that have served and sacrificed.

For these reasons, I’m pleading with you to NOT support House Bill 172 and Senate Bill 113 to legalize
fireworks 365 days a year. If there is an overwhelming need to approve something, I would recommend
legalizing fireworks limited from 1-7 Jul each year, or even less, Is it worth the lives of our veterans for
the pleasure of a few? The Fireworks Lobbyist may be pushing this thru, but it is nearly criminal what
you are doing to our veterans. Additionally I did an informal survey of about 98 people and not one
single person wanted fireworks 365 days 24/7. In fact most thought you have lost your minds and why
in the world would anyone want that. I believe this bill is reckless and should not be passed. Thank
you for the opportunity to be heard.

SARAH TACKETT
2803 Carriage Lane
Springfield OH 45505
Home: 937-325-0275
Cell: 937-408-4588


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