Discussions about fireworks noise in neighborhoods and parks often feature comments such as this: “This is a very heated topic between the people pro-fireworks and anti-fireworks. There are large numbers of people on both sides of the argument”.
That sounds nice and even-handed, doesn’t it? But it is completely wrong. The contention is not between pro- and anti-fireworks. Most of us love fireworks and find them exciting, beautiful and fun.
The contention is between us fireworks lovers in general and the few users of consumer fireworks who insist on setting them off in residential areas and public parks.
Disturbing? What else does one call loud, booming noises resembling gunfire and artillery cannon blasts at any time, any day? How is it not disturbing to have a terrified pet pee all over one’s carpet and cower and shiver for hours? To have kids awakened and frightened an hour after you finally got them to sleep? To have your own sleep disrupted by explosions?
Reckless? How else to describe shooting roman candles at one another? Letting little kids hold fireworks? Drinking while handling explosives? Shooting bottle rockets into a crowd? Firing mortar rounds over neighbors’ rooftops and dropping flaming debris onto their properties? Starting a big undergrowth burn alongside a popular trail?
Malicious? Is there a better word for retaliation with verbal abuse and petty vandalism by a neighbor who has been requested to desist?
We, of course, have ordinances addressing those three obnoxious behaviors, and the Juneau Police Department is ready and willing to deal with them: disturbing the peace, reckless endangerment and malicious mischief.
Ownership of certain types of consumer fireworks may be allowed under the fire code, but using them to disturb the peace is not. Common sense suggests that better management of where consumer fireworks may be used would likely simplify JPD enforcement efforts for violations involving fireworks.
Many residents are not only disturbed by neighborhood bombardments, but are now wary of visiting our public parks because they do not want their small children and pets subjected to frightening noise and burning missiles.
Most of us in the public don’t want to have to organize neighborhood watch informant systems, run out in our pajamas at midnight to see which juvenile jerk down the block is causing the ruckus, rat out our neighbors to JPD, or avoid using our parks for fear of injury or a lost runaway pet. What we want is for the underlying set up to be adjusted so that the problem behaviors are discouraged from even getting started.
We support fireworks displays, not backyard barrages.
We want our fire marshal to continue to follow the safety advice of the National Fire Safety Association and support our existing ordinance prohibiting the sale of fireworks in Juneau.
We further want the City and Borough of Juneau to prohibit consumer fireworks in parks and residential neighborhoods, and restrict their use in other locations to the July 3-4 only.
If CBJ decides there is a need for an area where fireworks with loud reports and aerial lift can be used, we suggest Eaglecrest as a venue that can be booked for parties and fireworks displays.
Cynthia Dau, Mary Jennings, Karla Hart, Lorraine Murray and Chris Prussing
Juneau Residents for Action on Fireworks