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Fourth of July fireworks will soon be bursting in air, but a new survey shows a majority of Floridians want the boom brought down a bit, with a plurality preferring a full fireworks ban.
The survey was conducted by Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research USA. Pollsters asked registered voters, “Would you support stricter regulations or bans on the sale and use of consumer fireworks in your area to reduce the noise and the stress they cause for people and pets?”
The results show 27% want an outright ban on fireworks, while another 27% would prefer time-based restrictions rather than a full ban. Only 5% felt fireworks should have no restrictions.
Robert E. Gutsche Jr., associate professor in digital cultures and strategy lead for the PolCom Lab, acknowledged the concerns expressed by a majority of respondents, but predicted that a full ban is unlikely.
“Fireworks are a long-standing tradition for celebrations across the world, but here in the U.S. they are ubiquitous to American patriotism,” Gutsche said.
“Walking around neighborhoods and across communities during Fourth of July, there is always some feeling or discussion of apprehension about fireworks and their possible effects on animals and children, for example. I’m not sure that means society is ready to ban them, though.”The poll’s findings also saw a partisan split, with 63% of Democrats favor a ban or restrictions for fireworks in neighborhoods. Nearly a third of Republicans, meanwhile, want no restrictions.
According to FAU and Mainstreet USA, the survey was conducted June 29-30 in English and Spanish. “Since the poll was partially completed online, a margin of error cannot be assigned to the poll, but a poll of this size would have a margin of error of +/- (3.2 percentage points) at the 95% confidence level,” the polling memo added.
–Ryan Nicol, Florida Politics
JimboXYZ says
I’m for an outright ban. The one’s that set off fireworks Thursday are renters, which means they don’t own that residential & I’d bet money that not one of them had an insurance policy had the fireworks they shot over other’s homes would be adequate to pay for starting a fire. Pets being stressed & terrified are another reason.
So after the 1.5 hours they shot off fireworks, they jumped in their pickup trucks and drove off in an unsafe manner like they always do thru the residential. From the yelling & shouting during their fireworks show, I don’t doubt that at least alcohol was involved. Glad those people moved further down the street. But they were still in range of their fireworks.
Even with the rain we’ve been getting the lawns are still dry & brown in some areas. Back in the day, one couldn’t get the fireworks these neighbors were setting off, only those that contracted for fireworks shows could purchase those. I recall things like smoke bombs, sparklers and similar fireworks were about all anyone could get legally. The fireworks that invaded my airspace were average for what the firework professional contractor with the city would set off. Nobody wants to see a treeline catch fire because a drunken idiot is trying to entertain their family twice a year, roughly 6 months apart. As Alfin grows Palm Coast, we’re certain to get more imbeciles & morons relocating here. You can tell Thursday’s rogue fireworks shows still triggers me. There were at least 3 neighbors setting these off, they’re usually the one’s that FCSO has to visit for a domestic call or few throughout the year.
COOPER says
Fireworks in Flagler Beach are a nuisance to the homeowner. Renters and teenagers use them to harass people who don’t like them. Our ordinances say they are against the law but we had a “do nothing” police department. You call they will not come. Teens are beginning to be gangs. They shoot off fireworks over your house. They walk the dunes and disrespect your private walkover.