NO SPARKLE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE!

Most of us really like fireworks. Since we were kids we have always “Ooh, aahed” at the bangs and the sparkle. But many years ago the “letting off” of fireworks has been banned because of the uncontrolled use of them persistently resulted in serious injury and even deaths to community members, not to mention widespread property damage and the terror inflicted on so many of our pets. Most people have accepted this law as fair and sensible, even though we can’t wait to see a professional display managed by professional pyrotechnic people.
Most laws in our society are made to protect us from the 1-2% of us who seemed determined to break them. And that 1-2% reappeared again on New Year’s Eve in Portarlington. Yes, folks-they started their own private fireworks display even before the sun had set! Poor helpless goons! Who ARE they trying to impress - themselves, their kids, their husbands/wives/lovers? Then they continued all night right up to and a long time after 2011 AD’s swansong.
They have paid squillions just for their own selfish egos! And they have all broken the law! And they have seriously inconvenienced so many other people in our community! A pox on these idiots!
One thing these self-proclaimed heroes conveniently forget is the fact that most of these fireworks fly up and away over other people’s properties and into community areas.
One super-dooper goon let off a super-dooper rocket flare over our place shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve. Whoopee? Away it went, sparking orange for a full five or so seconds. We didn’t see where it landed though. Well, not until a small fire started in the Flora and Fauna Reserve in a really almost inaccessible area quite close to Traum /Hereford Street where there are lots of houses!
There was not a breath of air, fortunately. Because as the fire grew and grew it remained in this part of the reserve. Any southerly breeze, let alone a wind, would have soon fanned this fire right into the holiday park. Any northerly air movement would have sent it toward hundreds of houses. Westerllies would have resulted in sever damage to our sporting precinct and the Guides Hall.
This situation could easily have developed into a catastrophe, and I’m not one to sensationalize! There was a true and real threat to lives and property had a breeze, let alone a wind, from any direction had had an influence.
And our ever dutiful fire brigade had to come out of their homes, once again, to protect us from this stupidity! Where would we be without them? I’ll bet they were hoping to see in the New Year quietly and peacefully in their own homes.
Even one of our long serving campers burnt himself trying to remove a flare, traditionally (but still illegally) set off at the holiday park - they’re packed pretty close in there, aren’t they?). Wouldn’t take much to set the whole place alight, would it? Experience wasn’t the best teacher in this case.
Now I’m sure there were other “incidents” around the North Bellarine. I hope none of them have resulted in injury or destruction of property. And I hope that people’s pets are over their traumatic experiences, if they can ever be.
As I said, laws are made to protect us from the 1-2% of our society who think they are a bit better than us mere mortals. It’s just not good enough for them to say, “Sorry” after the act. It’s time for them to see that laws are made for the benefit of all members of our society, and that they are not so special as to qualify to be above them.
Perhaps, next year, a “dob in a firework fool” hotline might be established, and these dills can be forcibly discourage from flouting the ban on fireworks.
We aren’t party poopers, but a wet blanket should be placed upon these boofheads who can’t help but play the “look at moi” game.
Shame on you all!