As a 25-year Kent resident, I am contacting you regarding the fireworks allowed in our city, both on and around the holidays of July 4 and New Year’s Eve.
This year, signs were posted along roads entering Kent, which indicated fireworks were allowed in Kent on July 4 only, beginning at 9 a.m. These signs also indicated something along the lines of, “Buy them from the right place.” I surmised that to mean legal fireworks and not the bombs, missiles, rockets, house-shaking explosions, etc., which can be and are, easily purchased a few miles from Kent on the Muckleshoot reservation.
It’s not realistic or enforceable to expect people to only partake in legal fireworks in our city. This notion resembles an ostrich putting its head in the sand, since we all know that if fireworks are allowed in our city, there will be a good load of illegal fireworks from the nearby reservation.
The past few years the noise and obtrusiveness of the bombs, missiles, rockets and screaming that goes along with these holidays in our city has escalated to an unacceptable level.
Promptly at 9 a.m. on the Fourth, and up until far after midnight, the noise and vibration in my home was frequent, loud and ongoing. The level of fireworks in our city for the Fourth creates mess for days afterward, places a strain on emergency services, is beyond terrifying for animals, places a strain on our animal care and control services and is dangerous and damaging to our property.
The past few years have proven that restricting the discharge and/or sales of fireworks in Kent is not enough. Many of our surrounding cities ban fireworks and perhaps many of those residents come to Kent’s schools, streets and parks to discharge them, I honestly do not know.
I do know that I speak for many Kent residents in asking to ban them in our city. There are a number of area professional shows, including ours at Lake Meridian Park, where people can enjoy fireworks safely, for a reasonable amount of time without violating the rights and homes of citizens who do not wish to be on the receiving end of these “celebrations.”
A co-worker of mine had a barbecue at their home in Renton on the Fourth. She said their guests brought their dogs, “To get them out of Kent.” Why should we as Kent residents have to leave our homes to avoid this treatment? I’d leave my own home, but I am worried about fire/property damage. This year was no different. My car was vandalized on this night.
I’m asking to join the enlightened cities around us and ban fireworks in Kent.
– Andrea Price
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