I love fireworks, in a public park organised by someone who knows what they are doing. I rarely talk about why I hate fireworks in almost any other situation. This time of year often means I am a bit scared sitting at home probably a lot like many people’s pets.
In my first rented house when I was at Coventry university trick or treat was a different experience, trick was people sticking fireworks through your door. I was lucky we had a fire extinguisher and a double door at the front of the house so even though it was bad I and my housemates were safe. Even though it was over 25 years ago, I still believe the general public should not be able to buy fireworks, or at the very least you should need something other than ID to buy them.
There is a level of irony that the UK is so careful about people buying or selling explosives but for this one period every year, anyone who is 18 or old is allowed to buy fireworks.
There has not been much research done on the injuries caused by fireworks in the UK, but there is plenty of evidence from other countries that fireworks cause unnecessary injuries every year. Between 2018-2021 in the United States, there were 61 recorded deaths from fireworks for example (https://tinyurl.com/4r5rf8hx). In the UK between 2000 and 2005, there were 6,637 injuries from fireworks (https://tinyurl.com/3be5a8hp).
One of my biggest problems with fireworks these days is they are built to make noise not be pretty, when i was younger people enjoyed firework displays because they were just that a display, not the ability to make the biggest bang. I was quite pleased to see a local supermarket selling silent fireworks, although I still believe people need to be responsible to buy these things, and quite frankly as a short garden owner I don’t understand people setting them off in my neighbourhood.
Anyway, I remain in with a taped-up letter box on Halloween and fireworks night in the UK, unless I am at an organised show. I am still scared around this time of year due to the irresponsible being able to buy these things.