Consumer Product Safety Commission last year reported that fireworks cause an estimated 10,000 injuries and 19,500 fires annually across the nation. We also remind everyone to continue to follow applicable social distancing rules to keep their families and guests safe.” "We want all residents to stay safe as they celebrate this Fourth of July. “Home fire safety doesn’t stop at the door, since there are still many fire risks outside the home," John Farrell, the association's president, said. The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York urged July 4th revelers to leave the fireworks to the professionals.Īs the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, many communities have resumed local fireworks shows, including state-run ones at Empire State Plaza in Albany and at Jones Beach on Long Island. Please make the safe choice to enjoy the numerous public fireworks displays this Independence Day instead of risking your health by trying it at home.” “It is essential to teach children, and remind adults, that fireworks are not toys and can be dangerous. "As New Yorkers gather to spend time with family and friends during the Fourth of July weekend, I urge them to put safety first,” state Health Commissioner Dr. Safety tips for using fireworksĬolumbia, Nassau, Schenectady, Suffolk and Westchester counties all banned personal use and sale of fireworks in 2018, citing the noise and safety risks. Ones limited in sizes that range from 1 to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition.Īll other types of consumer fireworks, including firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, spinners and aerial devices are illegal, the state said. Devices that are handheld or mounted on a base or spike.Ground based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke.(See a full list of where below)Īccording to state law, New York limits sales to only: There are about 750 approved vendors selling fireworks this July 4th holiday, according to the state Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Then the state changed the law: Counties now have to opt out of sales, which some of the state's largest counties have done.įireworks are only legally allowed to be used and sold from June 20 to July 5 and Dec. Andrew Cuomo, in fact, twice vetoed legislation to allow any fireworks in New York, but then acquiesced in 2014, allowing small fireworks to be sold during two periods of the year and requiring counties to opt into allowing their sales. While neighboring states like Pennsylvania became a haven for people to cross the border and buy fireworks and illegally use them in New York, state officials have long wrestled with the issue. Possessing fireworks in a county where they are banned can lead to a fine, while sellers in counties where they are banned can be charged with a misdemeanor. Newburgh also banned the sale and use of fireworks last year as cities reported a surge in them going off all hours of the night. “I admit that I made a mistake voting for legal sparklers in 2016 and opting out of the legislation is a good first start in keeping our communities quiet and safe.” It’s unacceptable,” he said in a statement when the local law passed. "There are fireworks exploding in the street, creating sounds that remind me of the mortar rounds that kept me awake while I served in Iraq. New York lets counties and cities opt out of the law and ban fireworks for personal use, and several have done so in recent years, raising concerns about the noise they create and the dangers they present.Īlbany County was the latest last fall to ban fireworks, joining the five counties of New York City (where fireworks were never permitted) and Columbia, Nassau, Schenectady, Suffolk and Westchester counties.Īndrew Joyce, the chairman of the Albany County Legislature, said the county allowed fireworks in 2016 figuring it would only mean people would be able to buy sparklers and small items.īut, he said, "what we got was much worse." Watch Video: Here are some July 4th firework safety tipsĪLBANY - New Yorkers are getting ready for the July 4th weekend, and the pop-up tents selling fireworks are dotting the state.Įleven counties and the cities of Newburgh and Middletown in Orange County prohibit the sale and use of small fireworks that are allowed in New York under a 2014 law.
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