State must take fresh look at fireworks law
Last weekend’s noisy Fourth of July celebrations left many Pennsylvanians in a less than festive mood. In many neighborhoods the fireworks started long before July 4 and have yet to stop.
Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that this has been one of the worst years in terms of noise complaints related to fireworks. The problems start while it’s still daylight and continue well past midnight.
There are two factors at work here. The first is that the coronavirus pandemic eliminated many of the usual holiday activities, including professional fireworks displays. It’s no wonder many people decided to provide entertainment of their own at home.
The other factor is that Pennsylvanians have access to more powerful pyrotechnics than they once did. Thanks to a 2017 change in state law, it’s legal to buy fireworks such as Roman candles, firecrackers, bottle rockets and other items that previously were banned. For decades the only such material allowed in Pennsylvania were those that stay close to the ground, such as sparklers.
The last couple of summers were noisier than ever and produced plenty of complaints along with near-disasters such as a Reading elementary school that caught fire due to fireworks. Early reports from officials indicated that this year’s Independence Day was far worse.
“This July Fourth seems much worse than previous ones,” Berks County Emergency Services Director Brian Gottschall said, noting that dispatchers received 238 noise complaints between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. “It’s always a busy night, but it seemed different than those in the past.”
Complaints were recorded all over, from urban areas to the suburbs, and in rural communities. The danger and annoyance associated with fireworks have people concerned all over Pennsylvania.
State lawmakers were hearing the call even before July 4 arrived. The Senate voted 48-2 on an amendment to a Senate bill that would give officials in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Bethlehem, Lancaster and Bensalem Township the option of banning the use of commercial fireworks within their borders.
State Sen. Judy Schwank, a Berks County Democrat who has been focused on this issue for quite some time, is looking to take it a step further. She’s announced plans to introduce legislation that would scrap the 2017 Fireworks Act. That would once again limit Pennsylvanians to the mildest of pyrotechnic products. State Rep. Mark Rozzi of Berks County and state Sen. Andy Dinniman of Chester County, both Democrats, say they support her effort.
“The ongoing and nearconstant use of powerful fireworks in a disrespectful and downright careless manner has become a more than a nuisance — it’s a danger,” Dinniman said in his announcement of support for Schwank’s bill. “The intense noise, light and smoke have a negative impact on senior citizens, young children, veterans, those with special needs, those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and pets and animals.”
We agree. It’s most unfortunate that so many people have abused the privilege of having access to stronger fireworks. Loosening the fireworks law could have worked had Pennsylvanians been more responsible. That means using them in areas far from structures and not setting off explosions for hours at a time, day after day and at all hours of the night.
However, Schwank and her allies on the issue acknowledge that scrapping the fireworks law will be a tough sell in Harrisburg. The original measure was intended to raise revenue for the state, and it does. Taking away a revenue source is always unpopular among lawmakers. That’s especially true in today’s fiscal situation.
We’d also support any measure that gives local authorities more power to deal with the problem. But as long as powerful fireworks are readily available, enforcement is going to be a challenge. Lawmakers need to figure this out before we endure yet another noisy summer.