DEARBORN — Many Dearborn residents are disturbed by the noise and illegal use of fireworks in their neighborhoods. 

As Dearborn’s large Muslim population celebrates the month of Ramadan, adults and children fill the city’s streets and shops at night. With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, some teenagers add to the celebration by lighting fireworks – illegally.

According to the state’s fireworks laws, no one can light fireworks in public areas; and only adults can light fireworks the day before, day of, and day after federal holidays like the Fourth of July. That means that anyone lighting fireworks before July 3 is breaking the law. Dearborn police say that the use and possession of illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor offense, carrying a penalty of a $500 fine.

In January of 2012, Gov. Snyder enacted a new bill that made the sale and use of consumer fireworks like firecrackers, bottle rockets and Roman candles legal for adults during the restricted time frame. Low impact fireworks such as sparklers, toy snakes, snaps and poppers are all legal for sale and use at any time.

Last year, 109 people in Michigan were issued citations for the misuse of fireworks, the majority of them in Detroit.

In Dearborn, residents like Wissam Charafeddine said he and his children are disturbed by the sound of fireworks at night. 

“The way many members of the Dearborn community have ignored the law,and intentionally stepped all over it, starting fireworks early in the most densely populated areas, at the most inconvenient times, is just beyond ridiculous,” Charafeddine said.

The misuse of fireworks has even caused a power outage to some homes on June 22, according to a disgruntled Dearborn resident in a video posted on social media. 

“The power is out on Reuter St. in the city of Dearborn because of the recklessness of playing with fireworks,” the woman says in the video. “Everybody is sitting outside. There is no electricity on [the street]. So parents, please discipline your children; and I ask of the city to impose punishments and fines on the people ruining the electric cords. They shouldn’t be playing with fireworks in the middle of the week and at night.”

According to the video, children were playing with fireworks, which hit power wires, causing sparks. The woman said some houses didn’t get back power for two hours and residents had to use candles to light their homes. Later that night, she said she saw an 8-year-old boy buy lighting fireworks by himself on the same street.

Fireworks and PTSD

Among those affected by the use of fireworks are more than 30,000 war veterans in Wayne County, according to a 2014 report by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of these veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition a person develops after experiencing shocking events like being in a car accident or in a war zone.

“When I first came back from Vietnam that’s the first thing I had to deal with,” said Tyrone Chatman, executive director of the Michigan Veterans Foundation, who suffers from PTSD. 

Chatman advised PTSD patients to “choose some coping mechanisms and come to the realization that you’re not in a combat environment, and that the fireworks are not a bomb or artillery shell. 

“We talk about that a great deal in [counseling] sessions.”

War veterans aren’t the only ones who suffer from PTSD, said Dr. Louai Haddad, who works with the Arab American Chaldean Council (ACC) to treat refugees suffering from the disorder. 

Haddad said many refugees who suffer from PTSD, “have major issues with those types of fireworks that really sound like rockets or bombs, which exacerbates the symptoms of anxiety.”

He cautioned that those who want to light fireworks be considerate and enjoy fireworks in places away from heavily populated areas. He said that if needed, PTSD patients should try to enjoy the holiday away from their homes.

Safety and legality

The 2012 bill that Snyder enacted also enforces strict protocols to ensure the safety and legality of the selling of fireworks. Fireworks vendors must be certified by the Bureau of Fire Services after they undergo inspection. 

Last year, the Bureau of Fire Services issued 279 citations in Michigan to vendors who violated certain codes like not carrying insurance or having exposed fuses. Most of them were fined for not carrying a certificate. 

Mohamad Hojeije, who has been selling fireworks in tents across metro Detroit for 13 years, said he is cautious in business.

During the 10 day period when he operates, Hojeije said his tents need to be within strict compliance of the law. He added that there are many operational procedures and multiple inspections by fire marshals to ensure the safety and legality of the sale, like having fireproof tents, ready fire extinguishers and adequate parking. 

According to Hojeije, each city has different laws and some are stricter than others. 

He added that he does not sell to minors or even to people who do not seem confident with fireworks, especially if they do not have an I.D. 

“Kids will be kids, but they need supervision,” Hojeije said. “And parents should buy and light [fireworks] for them.” 

He added that the reason he opens early, before the legal fireworks days, is that many customers either stock up or window shop prior to July 4. 

“When you open early, you’re just letting people know where you’re at,” Hojeije said. 

According to the Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC), around July 4, about 240 people end up in emergency rooms across the country daily for fireworks-related injuries. 

“In 2013, there were eight deaths and an estimated 11,400 consumers who sustained injuries related to fireworks,” CPSC said in a statement last year.

The CPSC report says that all eight deaths in 2013 involved banned or home-manufactured — fireworks.

Michigan’s Fire Marshal, Richard Miller, advised in a statement that those purchasing fireworks exercise safety and responsibility when lighting them. 

He stressed that consumers should always follow the manufacturer’s directions; have adult supervision; light fireworks one at a time; then immediately back away to a safe  distance. 

“Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap,” the statement reads. “Douse spent fireworks in a bucket of water before discarding them.”

He also advised adults to never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks; place any part of their bodies directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse; try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully; point or throw fireworks at other people; or carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

Dearborn residents are encouraged to call 313.943.3030 to anonymously report unsafe or illegal activity in their neighborhood, or to call 9-1-1 if there is a dangerous or emergency situation.

To learn more about fireworks safety and guidelines, visit Michigan.com/bfs