November 5th & Fireworks

[Guest]

A new campaign is reminding parents of the dangers of fireworks. The number of injuries caused by fireworks fell by one quarter last year, but hospitals still treated 88 children under the age of five.

Sparklers injured 132 people, and parents are advised never to give sparklers to children under five and to teach older children how to use them safely. Parents should also remember that fireworks are explosives that can be a hazard if they aren't handled carefully.

TV adverts will also warn young people to be responsible. Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:

"Teenagers thinking of messing around with fireworks this year should also think again. They are the most likely age group to end up in casualty departments."

Information packs have been sent to 25,000 schools with teaching materials linked to the National Curriculum.

The campaign launch comes hard on the heels of new powers for the government to cut down on the problem of noise, nuisance and the anti-social use of fireworks.

The Fireworks Act will enable the Government to set a maximum noise limit for fireworks, license retailers selling fireworks and ban their use during anti-social hours. This will not apply to Bonfire Night this year but the government is calling on retailers and consumers to act in the spirit of the new law.

source: 10 Downing Street

My question is this: Should fireworks be banned all but for public displays, seeing the untold injuries and deaths that are caused, and the money that the NHS spends treating the victims, would it not be cheaper and easier AND more controllable to have public displays only??

[Sir T Fireball]

yes ;)

[andsome]

It really is about time that something was done. I feel sorry for people with pets. A few years ago the vet could give you a tranquiliser for Noember 5th, but we have been experiencing nightly bangs for several weeks now. Some of the fireworks now are as big as a small bucket, so no wonder people get injured. The best thing would be for licenced parties to be allowed only. I AM NOT an old spoilsport, but things are now totally out of hand. A shop local to us sells firewaorks ALL the year round.

[bvw]

Well, I am an old spoilsport, unlike andsome.

Ban the lot of 'em I say, they are nothing but a damn nuisance, it's been night after night of constant boom/bang etc round here :angry:

[Guest]

it's been night after night of constant boom/bang etc round here  :angry:

some people would love a wife like that!!!!!!

[bvw]

Be afraid Morpheus, very afraid......she's all yours :D

[Guest]

:o :o :o :o :o :o

[Sir T Fireball]

Well, I am an old spoilsport, unlike andsome.

Ban the lot of 'em I say, they are nothing but a damn nuisance, it's been night after night of constant boom/bang etc round here  :angry:

I'm with you all the way. If it only went on for 1 or 2 days, maybe I would think otherwise, but we all know this will now go on until well into the New Year :(

[-pops-]

This is, again, a very difficult problem.

As with banning anything, the problem is not cured but sent underground. It is easy to obtain some ingredients but forming them into a firework is not and takes some expertise. A bomb is the likely result of home made fireworks and we don't have to imagine the potential consequences of that.

Some years ago I lived in Kent near the channel ports. There was some sort of firework restriction introduced, I don't remember the detail but the result was that huge quantities of fireworks were brought over from the continent by daytrippers on the ferries and hovercraft so that, far from relieving the problem, it was made that much worse by the acts of defiance of certain persons who thought it clever to ignite some of these things as soon as they disembarked, or even before. Take it from me, they weren't penny bangers or damp squibbs.

Brian :(