Celebrating safely

Posted 6/29/16

School is out, summer has arrived, and one of our most cherished holidays is right around the corner. The coming Fourth of July weekend affords an opportunity to spend time with friends and loved ones, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate our nation's

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Celebrating safely

Posted

School is out, summer has arrived, and one of our most cherished holidays is right around the corner.

The coming Fourth of July weekend affords an opportunity to spend time with friends and loved ones, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate our nation’s freedom. As we settle in for season, we take a moment to press pause on the bustle of our day-to-day routines to appreciate what we have, and what it means to be American.

Fireworks are a key piece of the coming festivities, part of the very fabric of the Fourth. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, they have become an inescapable part of the nighttime atmosphere in many of our neighborhoods, and we expect they will remain so in the weeks to come.

Far less common, we hope, will be reports of injuries – and even fatalities – resulting from the irresponsible and unsafe use of fireworks.

While last year’s festivities brought few such local stories, there were across our region several well-publicized incidents of Fourth of July gatherings turning tragic as a result of fireworks. While varied in terms of precise circumstances, all of these incidents have two major similarities – that they were absolutely preventable, and carried life-altering consequences.

We ask those who make fireworks a part of their celebration to do so in a responsible and respectful manner. Keep in mind that in densely populated neighborhoods, a mishap carries the risk of homes and lives lost if a blaze were to break out.

Think also of the most vulnerable among us – seniors, those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, even pets – and the deeply negative way the sight and sound of fireworks might affect them.

Independence is a proud moment for Rhode Islanders and all Americans, and it should be celebrated as such. We respect the right of all to use fireworks, as the law allows, in marking the occasion.

We simply ask those who do so to temper the revelry with common sense, and to hold paramount the safety and well-being of their neighbors, friends, and family members. Let our celebration of the American spirit truly be a celebration of community spirit as well.

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