Letter to Editor – Daytime Fireworks Yesterday Traumatizing to New Britain Veteran(s)

By Molly Felth

Dear New Britain Progressive,

Thanks for the work that you do! I write on behalf of my Iraq War veteran partner.

You may know that yesterday, July 5th, New Britain Parks and Rec discharged all the fireworks they were going to use on July 4th, during the day, at Walnut Hill Park with nary a warning to thr community.

My combat veteran boyfriend lives nearby the fireworks site. He experienced acute PTSD symptoms thanks to the barrage of fireworks going off… in the daytime without warning.

The blasts were incredibly loud and his brain made him feel he was being mortared. That is how combat PTSD manifests. Such acute symptoms haven’t happened in years.

He had a safety plan for July 4th, to leave the city and avoid the scheduled fireworks, but the fireworks were cancelled.

Letting off fireworks in the park durung the day was a shortsighted decision by the Parks and Rec Dept. regarding the mental health of vets like him across the city. Even though we can’t go back in time, New Britain should have issued a more obvious warning to citizens before discharging them during the day.

Their only warning was apparently a Facebook page post by NB Parks and Rec, which I doubt most citizens read (attached below).

Why did they have to discharge the fireworks at all, especially during the daylight? Thats no way to celebrate America’s birthday—by traumatizing individuals who are willing to give their lives for our country. I doubt he is the only veteran in the city who responded this way.

I just want the Parks and Rec dept. to know their decision was harmful.

Sincerely,

Molly Felth