Safety tips, guidelines for New Year’s fireworks
While there likely will be silent nights over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, that won’t be the case next week, when revelers often celebrate New Year’s Eve with homegrown fireworks displays.
In anticipation of those amateur displays, law enforcement and fire officials again urge residents to be extremely careful handling fireworks, recommending that the best thing to do is leave it to the pros. If you’re considering doing your own show anyway, as many folks obviously will be doing, here’s what you need to know about fireworks laws and safety guidelines:
State law allows fireworks, but they are banned on Volusia beaches
In Florida, the added interest in home fireworks has been kindled by a state law passed three years ago that makes it legal for the public to use fireworks on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, two of three occasions permitted annually that also include July 4th.
Despite the state law, use and possession of fireworks remains prohibited on Volusia County beaches according to county ordinance. Also, the state law is superseded by local or county ordinances that ban personal fireworks.
In Volusia County, several cities including Daytona Beach, DeLand, Deltona, Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach and Ponce Inlet have ordinances prohibiting fireworks, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. To report a fireworks complaint in Volusia County, you can call 386-248-1777 and press option 4. In Flagler County, the use of fireworks is prohibited by ordinance in any county park or recreation area. Personal fireworks also are prohibited by ordinance by the cities of Palm Coast and Flagler Beach.
How many injuries are caused by fireworks accidents?
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s latest fireworks annual report, there were 11 reported fireworks-related deaths in 2022, mostly associated with mortarstyle devices. Five of those deaths were associated with fireworks misuse, with victims ranging from 11 to 43 years of age.
The report also stated that there were an estimated 10,200 fireworksrelated injuries in 2022, with 73% of those injuries occurring in a onemonth period surrounding the July 4th holiday.
Also, according to the report, approximately 43% selected and tested fireworks sold in 2022 were found to contain illegal components that could cause severe injuries. These components include fuses that don’t comply with the law, prohibited chemicals and pyrotechnic materials overload.
What are the most dangerous fireworks?
The CPSC report offered the following list of the most dangerous types of fireworks, based on the number of injuries requiring treatment in the hospital:
Firecrackers: 1,300 injuries Sparklers: 600 injuries
Illegal firecrackers: 500 injuries Roman candles: 400 injuries Rockets (non-bottle): 300 injuries Small firecrackers: 200 injuries
hhhhhhGuidelines for fireworks safety
Volusia County Fire Rescue offers these safety tips for consumers who purchase legal fireworks:
Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.
Light fireworks one at a time, then move away from them quickly.
Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire.
After fireworks stop burning, douse them with water from a bucket or hose.
Finally, pick up all debris and spent fireworks.
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