Risk Of Injuries & Blazes Runs High With Amateur Fireworks Shows, Fire Commissioner Says

With the Fourth of July holiday fast approaching and many taking a long weekend, amateur fireworks shows are expected to light up skies across the area.

Since Pennsylvania’s fireworks laws loosened several years back, fireworks exploding at all hours and of varying sizes have cropped up, drawing complaints from many residents in the Levittown area.

Ahead of holiday, State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook urged residents to leave fireworks to the pros.

In addition to the risk of injuries, Cook and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Dunn advised that dry conditions have increased the risk of brush wildfires.

“While we remind residents every year that fireworks are not toys, this year has the added risk of inadvertently setting off a wildfire due to lack of rain and dry conditions throughout the state,” said Cook. “The safest way to enjoy fireworks during Independence Day is to enjoy fireworks displays managed by professionals.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks start more than 18,500 fires per year and cause an average of $43 million in direct property damage.  

Despite the risks associated with private use of fireworks, many continue to choose to use them during the holiday. Cook recommended the following safety precautions:

• 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 picking them up or disposing to prevent trash fires.
• Never use fireworks after consuming alcohol, or other medications or substances that can impair judgment or the ability to react quickly to an emergency.
• Whether attending a professional display, or using consumer fireworks, always remain at a safe distance from the ignition location.
• Be sensitive of neighbors and their pets, particularly if military veterans live nearby.

The Levittown area has seen fireworks-related injuries and deaths over the past 20 years.

Nationally, there were five nonprofessional fireworks-related deaths and an estimated 9,100 patients were treated for fireworks injuries in hospital emergency rooms nationwide, according to a Consumer Product Safety Commission 2018 report.

The same report found approximately half of the injuries reported were burns; with the head, eyes, face, or ears being the most frequently impacted part of the body. Thirty-six percent of those injuries involved children under the age of 15.

Under state law, Pennsylvanians who are at least 18 years old may purchase and use Class C, otherwise known as consumer-grade fireworks. Certain restrictions apply, including:

• They cannot be ignited or discharged on public or private property without the express permission of the property owner.
• They cannot be discharged from 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.

In recent years, citations have been issued in Lower Bucks County due to violations of the state’s fireworks laws.

Dunn pointed out that 99 percent of wildfires in the state were caused by people.

“We have seen consistent elevated risks for wildfires this year, forcing our volunteer and wildland firefighters to suppress an unprecedented number of blazes this year,” Dunn said. “With that in mind, we ask that the public take all necessary precautions.”

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