How to be considerate of veterans during Fourth of July celebrations
WEBB CITY, Mo. — For some people, there is no such thing as “too loud” or “too big an explosion” when it comes to Fourth of July fireworks.
But for others, that combination can be an instant trigger mechanism to the battlefield.
Combat veteran Jimmy Burgess says the reaction can vary from one veteran suffering from PTSD to another.
“I’ve seen some that can’t be in a situation like that at all, others that have to basically turn off lights, close windows and doors and turn up the t.v. to get away from it, then there’s other veterans that kind of learn to acclimate and readjust and reintegrate back into society because we want to celebrate the Fourth of July too, it’s a huge day for us,” said Jimmy Burgess, U.S. Army Veteran.
In fact, Burgess says it’s possible a veteran doesn’t even realize they have post traumatic stress disorder until they attend a fireworks show or even backyard display.
So what’s the best way to prevent triggering PTSD in a neighbor? Burgess says just ask before you start shooting fireworks off.
“I don’t think there’s any one of us that want to take away from American’s celebrating the Fourth of July in any way they see fit, it’s just all boils down to that respect and common courtesy that can really be achieved just by having a good conversation with your neighbors,” said Burgess.
But one firework’s company is trying to give veterans the best of both worlds, allow them to see the light, so to speak, but not experience the loud sounds.
“We have a lot of friends and family in the military and they expressed a need for quiet fireworks, so we created the brand “Silent Salute” quiet fireworks for veterans with PTSD, people with special needs and all of our fireworks have a sound meter on them that will tell you if it’s quiet, medium or loud,” said Megan Heim, Owner, Pyro Penny Fireworks.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.