Every fireworks display begins with a spark, lights up the dark, causes explosions in the quiet of the night, and fills our hearts with glee.
It is a wonderful sight to behold, especially when one watches these incredible lanterns in the sky and the confused noise they bring on New Year's Eve, at the end of a Disneyland tour at night, during the 4th of July celebration in the United States, and even in beauty pageant competitions. And who can never stop showing love with fireworks, more so if you are moneyed?
I recall with shock and awe my every exposure to fireworks as a kid, playing with firecrackers and watusi with my friends despite being aware that these striking, low-explosive pyrotechnic devices and flaming balls could drastically change my life and leave a scar on my heart forever.
What is a slight injury if everyone is happy? However, this happiness could turn to chaos and remorse once the injury becomes severe or life-threatening.
For years, private households have been banned from staging their own fireworks displays, as many local governments have designated specific areas for LGU-sponsored fireworks shows to prevent or minimize injuries.
The Philippine National Police has, in fact, prohibited firecrackers such as the super lolo, 5-star, pla-pla, piccolo, Goodbye Philippines, Goodbye Bading, giant bawang, watusi, atomic triangle, sinturon ni Hudas, Super Yolanda and Super Coke-in-Can.
At least 35 local government units, including all 17 Metro Manila LGUs, have passed ordinances making their localities firecrackers-free. This was in compliance with a memorandum issued by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. "banning the individual, personal, and household use of firecrackers of any kind."
The ban did not help, however, because of our countrymen's different concept of merrymaking. Behind the lights and bangs are the disheartening stories and statistics on fireworks-related injuries last New Year and a few days after that (which we call the Three Kings celebration).
The Department of Health, or DoH, recorded 609 injuries from 21 December 2023 to 5 January 2024 compared to the previous "surveillance period" during the Christmas and New Year holiday. The long period for fireworks shows can be traced to the country's long Christmas celebration, which usually begin with the "ber" months.
The new DoH figure is almost twice the 307 cases recorded during the previous surveillance cycle from 21 December 2022 to 5 January 2023, and the highest in seven years. Surprisingly, 601 of the total FWRIs were due to firecrackers, one to watusi ingestion, and seven to stray bullets.
News reports said the 609 injuries included the nine more FWRIs posted from 6 a.m. on 5 January to 5:59 a.m. on 6 January. The new cases ranged from 8 to 55 years old, with nearly seven out of 10 cases being males. Eighty-nine percent of these new cases occurred at home and in the streets, and four individuals were hospitalized.
So, who's to blame now? The PNP, despite its claim of an intensified crackdown on illegal fireworks that somehow found their way into many homes in time for the fireworks frenzy? The local law enforcers, who may have been remiss in implementing the ordinance? If not them, then we're back to the usual suspects, the victims themselves, who may have a skewed concept of fun. But if no one takes the blame, there may be fireworks going on.
Firecrackers, a collection of fireworks items, are harmful. When set off, the mix of chemicals, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter, releases harmful pollutants that cause air pollution, damage the lungs, and irritate the airways of humans and animals. They usually burn or sever fingers and hands and diminish the face's aesthetic value.
As the year started, a four-year-old boy in Central Luzon lost all five fingers on his right hand to a firecracker. The boy likewise sustained a neck injury. How deadly and illegal firecrackers can reach the hands of kids!
Safety tips can save lives, but only sometimes if we don't accept that it's everyone's responsibility to be safe.
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