News Archives
Fireworks Safety
 |
| Summer is synonymous with barbecues, parades and fireworks. The Chambersburg Fire Department
advises everyone to enjoy fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals and not to use any fireworks at home. Fireworks may be legal, but they are not safe.
Additionally, with the proximity of many of the homes within the Borough of Chambersburg, many areas are not suitable based on the established laws for fireworks to be set off. Leave Fireworks to the Experts In 2017, eight people died and over 12,000 were injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworks-related incidents. Of these, 50% of the injuries were to children and young adults under age 20. Over two-thirds (67%) of injuries took place from June 16 to July 16. In addition, while the majority of these incidents were due to amateurs attempting to use professional-grade, homemade or other illegal fireworks or explosives, an estimated 1,200 injuries were from less powerful devices like small firecrackers and sparklers. Additionally, fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires each year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires and nearly 17,000 other fires. Sparklers Are Dangerous Every year, young children are found along parade routes and at festivals with sparklers in hand, but sparklers are a lot more dangerous than most people think. Sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing, and children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet. According to the National Fire Protection Association, sparklers alone account for more than 25% of emergency room visits for fireworks injuries. For children under 5 years of age, sparklers accounted for nearly half of the total estimated injuries. If you choose to use legal fireworks and are following the established laws please follow these safety tips: Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks. Fireworks FAQ House Bill 542 was signed into law on October 30, 2017. Under the new law, the Fireworks Act of 1939 was repealed and replaced in its entirety. The questions and answers below highlight the most noteworthy changes. Q: Which fireworks are Pennsylvania residents now allowed to purchase and use? 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? Anyone 18 years of age or older can purchase them. Q: What are the restrictions on where they can be used? |