The House Bill 542, Pennsylvania’s revenue bill for its budget introduced new laws regulating fireworks sale this October.
These changes are coming to effect soon, which has been welcomed by supporters of the industry but viewed with concern by fire and emergency services organizations.
Residents like Brian Shaub are excited that they can now walk into firework stores and buy any of the products available and set it off legally.
But Acting Lancaster Fire Chief Tim Gregg, expressed concern that the fireworks were already a problem and the new law would increase the risk to residents and also first responders. The dangers are more in urban areas where there might not be enough space to set them off safely
He urged the residents to leave such things to the professionals.
Pennsylvania State Police Corp. Adam Reed noted recently with the law just being introduced, the agency is yet to update its fireworks guide which is still under progress.
The law has introduced a 12 percent tax on consumer fireworks, which along with the new licensing fees for fireworks sellers will result in bring $2.6 million this fiscal year and over $9 million next fiscal year.
Residents Can Buy All Major Kinds Of Fireworks
The new law fireworks classified as “consumer” – rockets, cakes, mortars, and crackers – are now available for purchase by residents. Earlier these fireworks needed municipal permits and residents could freely buy only the smaller items labelled as “novelty.”
The new law doesn’t change anything for the largest fireworks products which are classified as “display” and used in professional shows. These still need special training and permits.
Under the changed rules anyone over the age of 18 years can buy consumer fireworks and set them off in any private property with the owner’s permission provided the fireworks are at a minimum of 150 feet from any an occupied structure, which precludes them from being used in most urban and suburban neighbourhoods.
The new regulations will be administered by the state Department of Agriculture which so far doesn’t detail any time restrictions on lighting fireworks.
Department spokeswoman Shannon Powers has referred questions regarding applicable rules to municipal governments, which will be in charge of setting and enforcing noise ordinances as well as other related local rules.
The law however clearly bars fireworks from being uses inside vehicles, and from being launched toward a vehicle, building or a person. It also prohibits its usage while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Poor Enforcement Could Be An Issue
According to Gregg buildings in Lancaster are located close each other, so there were few areas having the mandatory 150-foot clearance for people to set off fireworks legally.
Enforcing fireworks laws has always been difficult for authorities. City residents have previously reported far more loud aerial fireworks than what were being legally issued.
Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute Executive Director Don Konkle has also expressed his opposition to the new law, adding that he had been fighting the rule change for over two years.
In a letter sent to the state governor petitioning him to veto the law, Konkle pointed out that the unrestricted access to consumer fireworks “will directly lead to an increase in required responses from volunteer fire departments and emergency medical services.”
Shaub acknowledged that safety was “a major concern because a lot of people have never used these types of fireworks before.”
