Published in print and online.
By Jennifer Corr
Fireworks goes hand in hand with Independence Day, but during a time that is meant for celebrating freedom, some who have fought for it suffer because of those explosions in the sky.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, 12 percent of those who served in Desert Storm, and 15 percent of those who served in the Vietnam War suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
PTSD occurs in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatizing event, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Symptoms of PTSD include intense thoughts related to their experience, flashbacks or nightmares, feelings of sadness or anger, a sense of detachment from others and a need to avoid triggers that bring them back to that traumatic event.
For some veterans, fireworks could be a trigger.
That’s why the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance handed out free lawn signs that read “Combat Veteran Lives Here. Please Be Courteous With Fireworks,” on June 29, as the Fourth of July was quickly approaching.
“You don’t know who your next-door neighbor is. You don’t know who the guy living down the street might be,” said Robert Bancroft, the chief of Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance and a retiree from the U.S. Air Force.
Volunteers in the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance are hoping that the signs will prompt neighbors to communicate with their veteran neighbors who are suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries before setting off fireworks.
“PTSD is very serious, and for our combat veterans suffering every day with PTSD, the sounds, the explosion of the fireworks, may affect them negatively, and I just want them to be aware and to think about that before they go ahead and light them off,” said Dina Wayrich, the 1st assistant chief of Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance.
The Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance has been working with agencies across the island to produce and hand out the signs to combat veterans. Ms. Wayrich first pitched the idea of a free lawn sign because she had seen it work in other communities, and instead of “reinventing the wheel,” she wanted to implement the same program. So far, Ms. Wayrich said she has seen a positive reaction from the community.
When asked if the community should see a professional fireworks show instead, Mr. Bancroft recommended that it would be the safest option. “They should definitely go see it in a public place, because it’s in a more secured and confined area,” Mr. Bancroft said. “With the heat we’re having now, it has the potential to spark fires, which then involves our fire departments.”
However, Mr. Bancroft noted that the signs are specially designed for the veterans in the community.
“In this specific event, these signs were designed to bring awareness to our veterans and our combat veterans who live in our community and have to deal with issues like PTSD every day and to just be more mindful of who might be living in your neighborhood,” Mr. Bancroft said.
On July 4, there will still be signs available at Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance, located at 3 Hazelwood Avenue in Westhampton Beach. For veterans and family or friends of veterans suffering from PTSD, a Veterans Crisis Line is available at 1-800-273-8255 by pressing 1. Communication through texting is available 24 hours a day by sending a message to 838255.
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