Comments on: Why I Hate Fireworks – and What That Has to Do With Employee Benefits http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/2009/fireworks-employee-benefits/ An insider's perspective on employee benefit programs and the issues that affect employers most. Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:58:51 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Travis http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/2009/fireworks-employee-benefits/#comment-2795 Travis Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:32:26 +0000 http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/?p=2864#comment-2795 Well ok then, as long as you're not trying to ban anything... Yes, fire departments get called out alot on the 4th of July, even in cities where fireworks are outlawed! I wonder if any California fire department has ever done a staff reduction as a result of a fireworks ban? Probably not. Well ok then, as long as you’re not trying to ban anything…

Yes, fire departments get called out alot on the 4th of July, even in cities where fireworks are outlawed!

I wonder if any California fire department has ever done a staff reduction as a result of a fireworks ban? Probably not.

]]> By: Lexi Ruben http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/2009/fireworks-employee-benefits/#comment-2794 Lexi Ruben Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:40:37 +0000 http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/?p=2864#comment-2794 To be fair, I never said anything about banning fireworks. I was involved for many years with a youth group that sold (and still sells) fireworks every year, and it was (and probably still is) the main source of funding for our group. Hence my comment that if you do want to purchase legal fireworks, do so from one of the Safe and Sane booths, as they are all run by non-profit groups. But I do have one comment on your theory: don't taxpayers also pay for the fire departments that have to come out and take care of the injured and the fires that are started by both legal and illegal fireworks? I agree with you on your last point, though - hope everyone has a happy (and safe!) 4th of July! To be fair, I never said anything about banning fireworks. I was involved for many years with a youth group that sold (and still sells) fireworks every year, and it was (and probably still is) the main source of funding for our group. Hence my comment that if you do want to purchase legal fireworks, do so from one of the Safe and Sane booths, as they are all run by non-profit groups.

But I do have one comment on your theory: don’t taxpayers also pay for the fire departments that have to come out and take care of the injured and the fires that are started by both legal and illegal fireworks?

I agree with you on your last point, though – hope everyone has a happy (and safe!) 4th of July!

]]> By: Travis http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/2009/fireworks-employee-benefits/#comment-2793 Travis Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:32:02 +0000 http://www.preceptgroup.com/blog/?p=2864#comment-2793 Lexi, people have been inventing ways to hurt themselves since the beginning of time, and governments have never been able to stop irresponsible people from doing so. There are, however, plenty of unintended consequences to the banning of fireworks: 1. Supply and demand - Black market fireworks are smuggled across city, county, state and national borders in large numbers, but without the quality controls that law-abiding businesses would put in place. 2. Parents never get a chance to legally teach their children about the safe handling of fireworks. Later on, when their friends bring some of the aforementioned black market fireworks home, the risk of childhood injury INCREASES rather than decreases. I doubt you would be able to find any boys under the age of 18 who have not managed to procure illegal fireworks at some point or another in their lives. 3. Taxpayers are forced to contribute to elaborate municipal fireworks shows which they may not care to attend. Because all cities have shows on the same date and time, the inelasticity in supply of pyrotechnicians drives prices higher and higher every year. Even if you don't mind big-government intrusions into deep-rooted American traditions, it's clear that the banning of personal fireworks merely shifts costs onto unwilling taxpayers and drives responsible users underground. Happy 4th! Lexi, people have been inventing ways to hurt themselves since the beginning of time, and governments have never been able to stop irresponsible people from doing so.

There are, however, plenty of unintended consequences to the banning of fireworks:

1. Supply and demand – Black market fireworks are smuggled across city, county, state and national borders in large numbers, but without the quality controls that law-abiding businesses would put in place.
2. Parents never get a chance to legally teach their children about the safe handling of fireworks. Later on, when their friends bring some of the aforementioned black market fireworks home, the risk of childhood injury INCREASES rather than decreases. I doubt you would be able to find any boys under the age of 18 who have not managed to procure illegal fireworks at some point or another in their lives.
3. Taxpayers are forced to contribute to elaborate municipal fireworks shows which they may not care to attend. Because all cities have shows on the same date and time, the inelasticity in supply of pyrotechnicians drives prices higher and higher every year.

Even if you don’t mind big-government intrusions into deep-rooted American traditions, it’s clear that the banning of personal fireworks merely shifts costs onto unwilling taxpayers and drives responsible users underground.

Happy 4th!

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