Quiet, please!

But now, months later, Rose’s nightmare is triggered over and over again as fireworks that sound like cannons rock her westside neighborhood home.

“It just triggers that sense that someone else has been shot, and another family is dealing with this,” she said. “It’s a sense of doom with every explosion.”

Jen Baker, 43, also a westside resident. said the city ordinance and state law are not working.

“This issue absolutely needs to be revisited, primarily at the legislative level,” she said. “We can’t expect LPD’s already burdened resources to chase down violators of a fireworks ordinance Obviously, there is considerably more serious crime for LPD to address. At the same time, what are Lansing residents supposed to do when this ordinance is violated? Continue to ignore the problem, night after night? If it was something we could ignore, we wouldn’t be complaining in the first place.”

In 2011, the state Legislature removed a longstanding ban on various fireworks — generally anything that left the ground or exploded. In 2012, Lansing City Council passed an ordinance regulating when fireworks could be shot off. Under that law, the day before, of and after a national holiday— such as the Fourth of July — residents can use fireworks. Use of fireworks any other time of the year would require a special permit. In 2013, the state Legislature updated the law to prohibit the overnight use of fireworks, even on sanctioned dates. Lansing enforces the ban from midnight to 8 a.m.

Under the city ordinance and state law, fireworks cannot be shot off from places like the public sidewalk or the city streets. Violations of the ordinance can result in a fine of $500. But enforcement is a problem. In order for police to issue a ticket, they have to actually witness the fireworks being set off. Residents on the city’s west side said identifying which neighbor is lighting explosives is difficult. Often by the time the culprit has been identified and the police arrive, the fireworks are done.

Between June 2013 and June 2014, the city reported it had issued 18 such tickets, City Pulse reported last year. Randy Hannan, chief of staff to Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, did not respond to repeated requests for comment for this story.

“It´s tough to say what the city can do to improve enforcement because the fact is that it´s difficult to find the people who are setting off fireworks,” said Cathy Bacile Cunningham, president of the Westside Neighborhood Association. “Stepping up patrols is an option, as well as increasing the fine for violating the ordinance. But the fact of the matter is that it´s hard to pinpoint exactly where people are setting off fireworks in order to catch them in the act. It comes down to individuals being considerate of their neighbors and understanding the impact that fireworks can have on the people who live around them.”

State Rep. Henry Yanez. D-Sterling Heights, has introduced legislation which would repeal completely the 2011 law.

“As a former firefighter, I am acutely aware of the danger mishandled and misused fireworks pose,” said Yanez. “Certain fireworks, whether used properly or improperly, can cause serious property and environmental damage, and the injuries can be disfiguring and life-threatening. There’s just no good reason to have rockets, sky lanterns and other fireworks allowed under the 2011 law going off in our neighborhoods.”

However, the new laws haven’t increased injuries at Sparrow Hospital. A spokesperson said the hospital has not seen an increase in the number of fireworks-related injuries.

Baker raised another important issue, which was echoed by Rose: The impact of fireworks on people with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety issues, small children and animals.

Yanez agreed.

“We all know how the loud noise from fireworks affects some children and pets, but something many of us may not realize is the fear or panic they can also cause veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Yanez. “In fact, 12 state parks this year are going fireworks-free over the Fourth of July specifically so that veterans and their families can enjoy the holiday without the loud noise and stress fireworks can cause. We’ve tried allowing residents to buy and shoot large fireworks. But the complaints from neighbors and the damage they’ve caused, or nearly caused, in many communities have proved the 2011 law to be a bad idea. It’s time we fixed our fireworks problem and repeal the 2011 law.”