Illegal fireworks use becoming a real nuisance in Capital Region
With the Fourth of July approaching quickly this weekend, it becomes that time where we all begin to hear fireworks set off at all hours of the day.
I must admit that growing up, I did set off fireworks here and there, however, I never did it during crazy hours into the night or in unsafe locations.
As I moved into my new house this past weekend, I was kind of shocked and a little annoyed to hear fireworks being set off around 11 p.m. on a Sunday.
It’s not just annoying to hear going off when you are trying to sleep, but hearing about people setting them off in Frear Park in Troy and other incidents is even more frustrating to hear about.
It was really a head-shaking moment during the riot in Albany to see people throwing fireworks towards police officers, and I couldn’t believe it when I heard that someone threw fireworks towards the home of an Albany County sheriff deputy.
It makes no sense as to why anyone would think to throw fireworks towards any person or property. Fireworks aren’t meant to cause damage to people and property, and I think many agree that fireworks are nice to see in the sky, but only when it’s done in a safe manner.
Fireworks, including firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, and spinners, remain illegal across New York State. Yet, beginning in 2015 Rensselaer County and nearly 35 other counties across New York allowed the use of “sparkling devices” (ground-based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke).
I know cops have more important incidents to worry about and the fact that it can be hard to enforce laws on fireworks since by the time police get to the report, the evidence of setting off the fireworks could be finished and all cleaned up.
If police departments did have enough resources to have some officers on that kind of task force then that would be great, but it’s also understandable that many police departments are short-staffed and have way bigger incidents to respond to on a daily basis.
Many people must be happy to see Gov. Andrew Cuomo direct State Police to launch a fireworks enforcement detail to prevent illegal fireworks being brought into New York from Pennsylvania and providing additional enforcement tools to local governments.
It’s also crazy to see these big tents set up in parking lots selling all sorts of fireworks. It seems like they are so easy to purchase now and when I was a teenager, they seemed almost impossible to find anywhere locally.
Hopefully, after the Fourth of July holiday, people will stop setting them off as much and not be able to easily purchase them anymore.
On a side note, it does suck that a safe firework show is not able to go off this year in the Capital Region due to the pandemic. It is also nice to watch the fireworks show put on in Albany and has always been a good and fun family tradition for many.