Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I cannot believe the Saratoga Sun staff is endorsing having children play with fireworks. I had to look twice in the photos of Medicine Bow, when I saw small children playing with fireworks and then saw it was supervised by the Medicine Bow Fire Department.

Children and adults are human, and many will believe that once they have been taught how to use fireworks, that it is will be okay to use them without proper supervision, because they know how to properly do it.

We have a very dry, fragile forest just waiting for someone to put down their brain before they pick up some fireworks to light.

I grew up in area where fireworks were illegal and people would go to the neighboring state and get fireworks. These types of fireworks are unstable and can cause harm whether they are used properly or not. Let’s not get in a big hurry to have children play with something because it looks like a good idea.

I think our volunteer firemen have more important things to do.

Liz Wood

Saratoga

Editor’s response: As noted in the above letter, people get fireworks and use them even if it is illegal.

If children are using those illegally then they are probably hiding—possibly even in the fragile forests mentioned.

Fireworks are not cheap—and if they are being used in a supervised location then they are likely not being used elsewhere.

We think that our volunteer firemen would much rather supervise an event like the one proposed than the fires that, maybe not will, but definitely can, occur when people furtively use these colorful explosives.

Also, the use of fireworks would still be a criminal activity if used outside the supervised area.