How you can get involved and help support our cause to get the issues of fireworks addressed.
- You can follow us on Facebook by liking and following our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/STOPFIREWORKSINPA/
- You can join our private Facebook group and help collaborate with each other to lobby our local and state officials to address the problems with fireworks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/232268964428156/
- You can call, write, and email your local municipality officials to ask them to pass a resolution in support of strengthening Pennsylvania firework laws. Reach out to your local city council, county commissioners, municipality board, mayor, etc.
- You can call, write, and email our Pennsylvania House of Representatives with your concerns regarding fireworks and ask them to address the issues that fireworks have caused in our local communities. You can view our Pennsylvania House of Representatives page by clicking HERE. On this page we have a list of all the PA House of Representatives, their email addresses, and their capitol phone numbers. To find your local legislator you can do so by clicking HERE.
- You can call, write, and email members of the Pennsylvania Senate with your concerns regarding fireworks and ask them to address the issues that fireworks have caused in our local communities. You can view our Pennsylvania Senate page by clicking HERE. On this page we have a list of all the PA Senators, their email addresses, and their capitol phone numbers. To find your local legislator you can do so by clicking HERE.
- The PA State Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee is currently working on Senate Bill 1227. This bill seeks to repeal the 2017 law and put in place a more restrictive law. We believe that it is imperative that as many of us as possible call, e-mail and write the senators on this committee to express our support. You can view our Senate Bill 1227 page for contact information and additional information by clicking HERE.
- The PA State House Agricultural Affairs Committee currently has House Bill 988 sitting in the committee. This bill seeks to repeal the 2017 law and put in place a more restrictive law. We believe that it is imperative that as many of us as possible call, e-mail and write the senators on this committee to express our support. You can view our House Bill 998 page for contact information and additional information by clicking HERE.
- You can reach out to local veteran groups, health and mental health agencies, fire departments, police departments, animal shelters and animal advocate groups, farm and wildlife groups, and others affected by the use of fireworks in our communities to ask them to support for our cause and ask them to join us as an official endorser of PCAF, they can fill out our endorsement form by going to the following page: PCAF Endorsements. If you are an organization or group willing to show your support for our cause and be listed as an official endorser for Pennsylvania Communities Against Fireworks, you can fill out our endorsement form by clicking HERE.
Key Talking Points:
Below are some key talking points for letters, emails, or phone calls to local and state officials regarding the use of fireworks in our local communities. Use these key talking points to help you draft letters, emails, or phone conversions with local and state officials. We want your letter, email, or phone call to be on a personal level than come across as a script so that's why we are providing the key talking points to assist you in drafting a letter, email, or phone conversation. You can also view our "Impact" page by clicking HERE to assist you in drafting a letter, email, or phone call.
- Provide an introduction of who you are and where you live in the state.
- Describe how the use of fireworks have affected your quality of life. Examples: (loss of sleep, disrupt peace and tranquility, unable to enjoy outdoors, increase anxiety, worrying about fires, worrying about damage to property such as homes and vehicles, etc).
- Describe how the use of fireworks are a public health and safety concern. Examples: (risk of fires, increase pollution, risk of injuries or death, used as weapons, etc).
- Relatively small tax revenues per capita ($8 million in a state with a population of over 12 million. Less than $1 per person).
- Enabling law breaking by having an unenforceable law.
- Describe how the use of fireworks have affected pets, livestock, and wildlife animals. Examples: (injured pets, frighten pets, pets runaway, increase anxiety, pets can't go outside, etc).
- Proceeds from sales don't appear to be making any difference regarding our school taxes they just keep sky rocketing.
- Any of the tax revenue even going to the volunteer fire companies?
- Constant and increasing sense of lawlessness.
- Fear of reprisal if complain to authorities.
- Describe how the use of fireworks affect veterans and people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Examples: (trigger serious mental health consequences, constantly on guard, remind them of incoming explosions, disrupts sleep, increases anxiety, increases fear, increases stress, etc).
- Describe how the use of fireworks affect people with other mental health conditions such as autism, anxiety disorders, and panic disorders. Examples: (increase anxiety levels, cause panic attacks, overwhelming, sensory overload, disturbing sleep, source of trauma).
- Fireworks being improperly disposed of and causing debris/litter left behind.
- People setting off fireworks could be either too young, intoxicated, or simply inexperienced.
- Increase in police and fire calls as well as how police don't have the manpower or resources to respond to calls putting a strain on police resources.
- How fireworks have affected the police ability to respond to calls and enforce the current laws.