VIDEO: Local and State Officials Speak Out Against Proposed Change to Allow Sale of Certain Fireworks

While the Effingham County Board at their last meeting tabled a proposal by the state that would legalize the sale of certain fireworks in Illinois, the objections to the possible ordinance change has drawn a sharp response from public health officials, first responders and medical professionals.

Local and state representatives of those fields gathered Wednesday at the Effingham County Health Department to voice their concerns.

Margaret Vaughn, Executive Director of the Illinois Rural Health Association, spoke first and hoped the county board would "consider the increased risk of homeland security threats improvised explosives devices can bring; the spike in painful injuries caused to children and potential deaths; the impact the legalization of Consumer Fireworks will have on our combat veterans suffering from PTSD and the irreversible damage your decision could have on lives in your community and ask that fireworks in Effingham County please be left to the trained professionals".

Dr. Ryan Jennings, Chief Medical Officer for St. Anthony's Hospital, spoke about how damaging fireworks injuries can be, both physically and physiologically, especially to children. "Burns are one of the most painful and challenging types of injuries to treat. Extensive skin grafting, infection control and reconstructive surgery is often required. Couple this with the fact that fireworks are explosives and can result in the loss of body parts and blindness. The majority of such injuries could be prevented if fireworks were left to the trained professionals. No family should have to spend their 4th of July in the ER".

Dr. Ryan Jennings, Chief Medical Officer for St. Anthony's Hospital

First responders were also represented at the event, with Chief Bryan Doyle, Incoming President of the IL Fire Chiefs Association speaking about the security risks of small explosives like fireworks. Doyle mentioned the Boston Marathon and Time Square bombings, where the explosives to be used in their attacks were from the same consumer fireworks retailer. The US Department of Justice Explosives Task Force has also issued warning bulletins regarding the sale of Consumer Fireworks because “they are a common component used in IED (improvised explosive device) production”.

Chief Bryan Doyle, Incoming President of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association

Doyle also pointed out that states such as Minnesota, which have legalized Class C fireworks, have seen an over 400 percent increase in injuries, and in Indiana, 64% of fireworks injuries to children occurred while they were being supervised by an adult.

David Schury, a burn survivor himself, has spent more than a decade volunteering at Camp "I Am Me" and at the Loyola Medical Center's Burn Unit in Maywood, IL. Schury talked about his experience with young burn victims, saying "I don't think people realize it is not only the excruciating physical pain the victims of a burn injury have to endure; but for the rest of their lives, the academic, emotional, social, challenges that they will face on ongoing basis compounded by the fact that the majority of firework injuries happen to children under the age of 15, who don't have the maturity or coping skills of an adult."

Schury also founded From Tragedy to Triumph, a foundation which provides academic scholarships to Illinois burn survivors. Several recipients have even gone on to become nurses in burn units.

David Schury, burn survivor and founder of Tragedy to Triumph

Rebecca Merten, Administrator of the Effingham County Public Health Department spoke as well, saying, "While I am convinced that the Effingham County Board values the health and safety of our citizens, I urge them to consider all of what is being presented today and then to not legalize fireworks in Effingham county. It is bad public policy to allow anything that we know will cause a spike in otherwise preventable injuries and potential deaths, the majority of which will be to children".