Hervie Harris

Castleton, NY 12033                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Dear Members of the Albany Common Council,

I am writing in support of the proposed legislation prohibiting fireworks displays in the vicinity of the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany.

For many people, firework displays are a cherished and traditional form of celebration. However, for some military war veterans of all eras, fireworks can be traumatic and all too real.

This may be especially true for military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. “Troop surges” in those countries have resulted in longer deployments and shorter intervals between multiple deployments, thus greatly magnifying the mental and emotional strain on our soldiers.

While improvements in medical care have resulted in higher rates of survival from grievous battlefield injuries, it is now widely recognized that many of our soldiers return with traumatic brain injuries and mental health problems. The Department of Defense has recently concluded that greater than 20% of Iraq war veterans come home with mental health disorders including post traumatic stress (PTSD). Other experts put the incidence as high as 33%.

It has been demonstrated that PTSD can be triggered by fireworks long after the initial traumatic event. Since military veterans are especially vulnerable to being re-traumatized by firework displays, it seems entirely reasonable to distance such displays from the VA hospital. Such a prohibition would not significantly restrict public enjoyment of future firework celebrations. 

Sincerely,

Hervie Harris                                                                                                      

Veterans for Peace