Personal use of fireworks is still dangerous, illegal



Personal use of fireworksis still dangerous, illegal
EDITOR:
In recent articles appearing in The Vindicator, local distributors of fireworks argued that their products should be legalized, since both the fireworks and the stores from which they are sold are much safer than they were 25 years ago. Statistics from the American Pyrotechnics Association, which show a drop in injury rates over a 25-year period, were used to support this position. Yet the distributors fail to mention that in 2003, six leading health and fire safety organizations united to urge a complete ban on consumer fireworks. This alliance consists of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the International Fire Marshals Association, the National Association of State Fire Marshals, and the National Fire Protection Association.
This alliance noted, in contradiction to the statements by local fireworks representatives, that approximately eight of 10 fireworks injuries treated in hospital emergency departments involve fireworks that federal regulations permit consumers to use. In addition, there were more than 24,000 fires associated with fireworks use. Fires caused by fireworks generated approximately $17 million in property damage -- most of this loss resulting from structure fires. In a typical year, on Independence Day, fireworks cause more fires in the United States than all other causes of fires combined. The alliance further noted that while only seven states ban all consumer fireworks, such bans have been linked to significantly lower rates of fireworks-related injuries and fires.
In statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, cited by The Vindicator, 12 percent of all injuries occurred to children under 5, while 30 percent of all injuries occurred to children 5-14 years of age. In 2003, this equated to almost 4,800 fireworks injuries to children 14 years of age or less. Nearly half of the injuries occurred to the head region, while the remaining injuries primarily occurred to the extremity regions, including the hands or fingers. The majority of the injuries include burns, contusions and lacerations.
Parents who provide fireworks to their children for use in Ohio are breaking the law. All individuals purchasing fireworks in Ohio must sign an affidavit requiring that the purchased fireworks be taken out of state within a specified period of time. Failure to do so is a crime in Ohio, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. In addition, the use of all but novelty fireworks in Ohio is a crime. The firework distributors, in all of their publicity, Web sites and public statements fail to mention that people using their products in Ohio are subject to arrest, and the products are subject to confiscation. Those distributors in Pennsylvania fail to mention that although they can legally sell fireworks to Ohio residents, it is a crime for an Ohio resident to import a fireworks product from Pennsylvania into Ohio. Again, depending on the quantity and type of fireworks, violations can range from misdemeanors to felonies.
DAVID C. COMSTOCK Jr.
Poland
XThe writer is chief of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District.
Local case of prison abusepoints to lapses in justice
EDITOR:
I am so angry and fed-up hearing our soldiers being persecuted and court-marshaled for treatment of prisoners of war in the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. These POWs were there for either killing or trying to kill our soldiers and coalition troops. Some were there for suspicion of planning on killing you and me here in the United States.
Not that I condone these actions of our soldiers. I am not completely on their side and find their actions intolerable. However, being a 20-year U.S. Army soldier myself, I can definitely understand some of these actions. These soldiers were constantly subjected to 24 hours of terrorist bombing attacks and have seen firsthand their fellow soldiers killed or maimed. This is a barbaric enemy, as we all have seen on our daily news broadcasts.
For good order and discipline, I agree these soldiers should be punished, but not to the extent of being court-martialed. These young men and women's lives will be ruined. Some may even face prison time. The punishment being imposed on these soldiers is, by far, too severe and mostly motivated by politics.
Right here in our own local community at Trumbull Correctional Institution in Leavittsburg, an inmate filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court (Eastern Division) on March 23, 2001, against a correctional sergeant who stripped the inmate of all his clothing. He then took the inmate's right hand and placed the hand in one handcuff and forcibly handcuffed the inmate's right hand above his right shoulder to the interior of the steel cage. He repeated this process with the inmate's left hand. The inmate was thereby forcibly restrained crucifixion style!
Handcuffed to a cage, the inmate complained repeatedly that his hands, wrists, legs and body were in excruciating pain, yet this sergeant laughed and joked about the inmate's situation. This inmate was forcibly restrained in this position for a period exceeding five hours without food, water, and/or medical treatment. Female personnel observed the inmate in this position while he was naked. This inmate was forced to defecate and urinate on his person in this cage where he was forcibly restrained for over five hours. The inmate begged for food, water, clothing and medical treatment, all of which were denied.
This inmate filed the lawsuit for these numerous mistreatments, and the state of Ohio settled out of court for more than $56,000 and other stipulations.
My point is this: The inmate was serving a seven- to 15-year sentence for felonious assault and was tortured in the manner described. The correctional sergeant named in the complaint was supposedly punished and is working at this same facility, supervising inmates to this day.
So with all this said, where is the American justice for our soldiers?
CARL G. SHAFFER
Cortland
Bravo! The Playhouse boardis getting its act together
EDITOR:
As a past executive board member of the Youngstown Community Playhouse, I read with interest the Sunday article regarding the Playhouse.
I was happy to read that Arthur Awards, which, in the past, the board considered "stupid and a joke," would return to recognize those who volunteer their time and talent to the Playhouse.
Perhaps, the board, which has in the past three years lost at least 15 frustrated members, will see fit in its reorganization to finally follow its own bylaws and go about the job of supporting the Playhouse and raise funds rather than politicize themselves, preventing theater artists from doing what they know best.
DONNA J. WILSON
Youngstown

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