More liberal fireworks laws in Pennsylvania will change the way Bucks Countians celebrate this Fourth of July and that could cause problems.
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Area firefighters, medics, and police will be on high alert for blazes and injuries related to new classes of fireworks that Pennsylvanians can freely purchase and use.
With more powerful fireworks now legal in Pennsylvania, there is some concern there could be a rise in injuries, according to local officials.
However, even fireworks such as the simple sparkler can cause serious injuries due to the fact it burns at more than 1,000 degrees.
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“Fireworks can be extremely dangerous, even if they are legal,” said Michael Spencer, who lost several fingers in a 2015 fireworks accident. “My advice would be to leave them to the professionals.”
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that more than 12,900 fireworks-related, emergency department-treated injuries were reported in 2017. In 2016, 1,300 hand and finger injuries were caused by run-of-the-mill sparklers.
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“The impact of a firework injury on a person’s life can be profound, particularly when involving a hand or finger injury,” according to a statement from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
July 4th Fun & Fireworks Around Lower Bucks County
Lower Bucks County is not immune to fireworks-related incidents, over the past few years homes have been damaged, hands injured, and a beloved neighbor killed in Middletown’s Levittown section on Fourth of July 2011 when a firework mortar exploded after hitting the back of Ray Criblear’s head.
“In addition to being a cause of frequent injury around the Fourth of July holiday, fires or other property damage from fireworks can be costly when it comes to your homeowners’ insurance,” Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman said
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The new Pennsylvania fireworks laws stipulate that Pennsylvania residents must be 18 in order to purchase fireworks, they can only be fired off on private property, anyone under the influence is barred from shooting fireworks off, and they must be set off at least 150 feet from occupied structures.
Falls Township just put a local fireworks ordinance into place, but other large townships like Bristol Township and Middletown don’t have specific regulations against fireworks, aside from that they can not be used in parks. Local noise ordinances likely cover the noise made by fireworks late at night or early in the morning and violations could lead to citations.
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On Monday, Falls Township police Lt. Hank Ward put out a warning that anyone who uses fireworks on Pennsbury School District property will be cited.
“There will be a zero tolerance rule in effect for fireworks on school property,” he said.
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The Pennsylvania State Police released the following frequently asked questions in advance of the Fourth of July:
Q: Which fireworks are Pennsylvania residents now allowed to purchase and use?
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Consumers can now purchase and use “Class C” or “consumer-grade” fireworks that include firecrackers, Roman Candles, bottle rockets, and similar fireworks that contain a maximum of 50 milligrams of explosive material. The expansion includes those fireworks that were previously only available to out-of-state residents.
“Display fireworks,” which are classified as including salutes that contain more than two grains or 130 milligrams of explosive materials, and professional-grade aerial shells containing more than 60 grams of pyrotechnic compositions, are still only to be used by professionals with a permit from the municipality where the display will take place.
Q: Who can purchase fireworks?
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Anyone 18 years of age or older can purchase them.
Q: What are the restrictions on where they can be used?
- They cannot be ignited or discharged on a public or private property without express permission of the property owner.
- They cannot be discharged from or within a motor vehicle or building.
- They cannot be discharged toward a motor vehicle or building.
- They cannot be discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure.
- They cannot be discharged while the person is under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or another drug.
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Also, it is recommended that you check with your local municipality, as you may also be subject to applicable local ordinances.
Q: Where can the fireworks be purchased?
They can be purchased at any licensed facility, including temporary ones. The licenses are issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Examples of temporary facilities include tents or other structures found in parking lots. These temporary structures can sell fireworks between the dates of June 15-July 8, and December 21-January 2 each year. Click here for more information on Department of Agriculture licensing.
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The Pennsylvania Insurance Department offered the following fireworks safety tips:
- Never allow children to play with fireworks, even sparklers, which can burn at temperatures of at least 1200 degrees.
- Only allow adults to light fireworks one at a time, then quickly back away.
- Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
- Keep a bucket of water or garden hose handy in case of a fire.
- Never pick up or try to relight fireworks that have not fully ignited.
- After the fireworks have burned, fully douse them with water before disposing of them to prevent trash fires.
