BOISE - Independence Day is a time we celebrate our freedom as a country, which of course would not be possible without all the brave men and women who served and are still serving our nation.
It's important to keep these heroes in mind when enjoying the Fourth of July, especially when setting off fireworks.
"For me personally, the Fourth of July fireworks, in particular, can kind of bother me sometimes, it can cause intrusive thoughts or intrusive memories to creep back in my mind and heart, and can be unwanted," says Josh Callihan, a Marine Corps veteran.
Callihan isn't alone.
"I think other veterans have the same difficulty or can have the same difficulty with the Fourth of July and the fireworks with the pops and bangs and those can kind of remind you of the sounds of combat experiences," says Callihan.
This Independence Day you may see some yard sign asking neighbors to respect veterans regarding fireworks.
"It's kind of become a new thing now where veterans put yard signs in their front yard kind of letting people know that they are a veteran and the fireworks bother them," says Callihan.
So be respectful by not lighting off fireworks by their homes or maybe even reach out.
"If you know them and you are comfortable with them, I encourage you to respect their boundaries but also maybe touch base with them if you have that relationship,' says Eric Everson, a psychologist with the VA.
But with public firework displays scheduled, which can be heard from miles away, it can be difficult to escape the sound.
"What I would want to impart on my fellow veterans is if you feel like you are having a hard time with fireworks, or that causing intrusive thoughts in your mind or its kind of bothering you and making you feel uncomfortable, there is other veterans to talk with out there, go to your buddies go to your friends," says Callihan.
Or go directly to the VA, no appointment necessary.
"We have outpatient services on an ongoing basis, we have emergency services that are available 24 hours a day for veterans, we also have triage services, where they can come in for walk-in services, we have a veteran’ crisis line they can call 24 hours a day," says Everson.
Some pets, especially dogs have a tough time with fireworks as well.
Here are some tips for dog owners:
- Keep them indoors
- Make sure they have collar if they get scared and wander off
- A nice walk before fireworks are expected to go off
- Use the TV or radio for some background noise
- A treat like a bone is always a good distraction