"3 things I have seen this week Jan 2018 #1: New year edition: Safer Streets , Horns and Smoke."

"3 things I have seen this week Jan 2018 #1: New year edition: Safer Streets , Horns and Smoke."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

At the end of every year and the beginning of then next there are a lot of things that occur.  Fireworks and injuries and death are the things that you would expect. This year however if the papers are to be believed would be the year of the lowest injuries in recent history. This is due to stricter rules and the implementation of these by Baranggay officials. Here are 3 things I have seen as the new year rolled in.

1) A lot of People on the street including children!

It has always been a fear of parents that their kids would have some sort of firecracker related injury regardless if they were the one handling it or they were just in it's vicinity. There was a big drop in that fear as people( mostly unruly drunks) no longer hurled firecrackers at people or passersby. A lot of people were on the street walking safely since there were designated areas for people who want to celebrate the new year with the loud explosions.

2) Horns , Lots and Lots of Horns.

Since most people abide with the new restrictions the sale of horns and other noise makers have sky rocketed. Coinciding with the decline in fireworks sales , people felt sad for those working in that seasonal industry but they were given ample time to find new means of work since last year. I like the horns better even if my ear drums were taking a beating from it. Horns are unlikely to explode in your hand no matter how much you blow on them.

3) Less Smoke! 

Yes there was that small time frame of 30 to 45 minutes before and after midnight that where the air was thick was smoke but after that there was absolute silence in most places of the Philippines. I am old enough to remember when the explosions would start at 7pm and not let up until 7am the following day. It was as if people had nothing to spend money on but fireworks. This year was different. It was an asthmatics dream New year. If I were 10 years old again then I would not have suffered all those attacks.

I am thankful for the changes. There were no reported deaths. The injuries were down to 86 cases all over in the countdown to the new year. I can still remember the ER looking like some sort of battlefield hospital. I still remember houses burning from irresponsible revelers and the death of so many children from indiscriminate gun firing. 

This year there was none of that. Good. I am sick of Death and his for this year.