Iowa bill to allow explosive fireworks getting blow back from vets

State only allows sparklers
and the like

Fireworks are festive, explosive, fun for some, but not so fun for some vets suffering from PTSD.

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill to allow more explosive fireworks, beyond what’s already allowed in the state – sparklers and such. The bill, however, is getting pushback from veterans.

Bob Krause with the Veterans National Recovery Center says fireworks can be devastating to those vets – they hear the explosion of fireworks and can immediately react.

“We have a big problem here with these veterans,” Krause said. “It’s going to be around a couple years. And just because you want to hear things go pop, pop, pop, doesn’t mean it’s not hurting somebody.”

If veterans are around the blasts, there’s no telling what they could do – to themselves or others.

“They may fall down in the fetal position like they’re trying to protect themselves from a blast,” Krause said. “They may charge a target. They may do a lot of things or they might have, what are essentially, hallucinations about it.”

The plan to expand fireworks would include not just ones that explode but others that shoot into the air.