Letter: Fireworks cause permanent hearing loss

Fireworks have been legal for a few weeks in Cedar Rapids.

At first I found the noise annoying until I realized their loud noise causes hearing loss. Fireworks explode with a sound of 150-175 decibels. The decibel scale is a logarithm, so an increase in 10 decibels means the loudness doubles, and an increase in 20 decibels is four times as loud, etc. Hearing loss can occur permanently at 85 decibels.

The sound of a firework exploding at 150 decibels is more than 64 times louder than a noise that can damage your hearing.

If fireworks are only heard one night, the hearing loss will be temporary. Since the city has allowed fireworks for six weeks, this continued exposure will turn temporary hearing loss into permanent hearing loss.

The city needs to reverse its decision and make fireworks illegal to protect the hearing of all the residents.

Thomas Riester

Cedar Rapids