The Fourth of July is a great time to eat and drink with friends and neighbors while celebrating the greatest nation’s independence. And, yeah, also a time to blow shit up. Denver has many great fireworks displays, and you can see most of those from right here in Stapleton. But for some, that just isn’t the same as lighting the fuse yourself. “I’ve always loved lighting off medium range fireworks,” says resident Scott Hall. “Every year we head to Wyoming, get some good fireworks, and bring them back here for the Fourth. The neighbors all seem to enjoy them, and it’s a lot of fun. Of course, safety is first, so we are always really careful.”
Most residents are thrilled to bring their kids over to a Stapleton pocket park to see a short and safe fireworks display. “We always love to see the local impromptu neighbor fireworks,” said resident Kate York. “As long as they appear to know what they are doing and aren’t just randomly trying to configure things, and we keep a safe distance from the lighting area. It’s a lot of fun, and another way to meet other fun Stapleton residents.” Jim Strassburg also enjoys the local displays. “It’s great because we can see the bigger displays without having to worry about driving and parking, and the kids can do their sparklers and whatnot. Then, they get a front row seat to a little fireworks show. It’s a lot of fun.”
Not all residents appreciate the late displays, however. “First of all, not everyone wants to hear loud fireworks in a residential neighborhood at 10:30 at night,” said angry a-hole resident Angela Myers. “I like to get some sleep every now and again, and I have young kids as well. Plus, it is illegal.” Another resident shared similar concerns. “If you want to see fireworks, go see the big displays,” says resident and former college dorm resident assistant (RA) Vince Beatty. “And if you want to light them off illegally, go to a state where it’s legal. Like Missouri.”
The firework-hater group also mentioned the danger of the fireworks, even for those not lighting them off. “Lots of people are killed every year due to fireworks,” said Beatty. “Plus, there is massive danger of starting a house fire. It’s just not worth the risk.” The official risks according to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), may be a little lower than people expect. According to the NFPA, over 80% of firework injuries are treated and released. In 2014, there were 11 deaths related to fireworks where the person who died was not handling the firework. An example of this is where a friend threw a sparkler into his friend’s house to get his attention, but ended up burning the house down. Ultimately, people have a .0033% chance of being injured by a firework, and less than one half of one percent of home fires are caused by fireworks, and many of those cases involved idiots lighting them inside their homes. So, everyone cool down and enjoy the show next year. Let’s all celebrate America together. USA! USA! USA!]]>