Fireworks laws will be enforced

Area residents are invited to attend fireworks shows at dusk Friday in both Princeton and Spring Valley, and at dusk Sunday in Walnut. (BCR file photo)

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PRINCETON — As the Fourth of July approaches and minds turn to cookouts, celebrations and fireworks, area officials are encouraging people to keep the law and safety in mind, particularly in regard to fireworks.

The only legal fireworks sold in Illinois are novelty fireworks, including smoke devices, snake or glow worm pellets, trick noise makers and sparklers. Only these fireworks can be bought and used in Illinois without a license from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM).

Starting in 2006, Illinois law requires a person to be licensed by the Illinois Fire Marshal’s office before buying or using ‘consumer-grade’ fireworks. Any retailer selling this level of fireworks must also be licensed by the state.

On Thursday, Princeton Fire Chief Gary Hanna said some establishments try to use loopholes in the law to sell consumer-grade fireworks. The only people who can legally buy consumer-grade fireworks are those who have a permit issued by the local county or municipality to the consumer.

In 2007, two vendors selling illegal, consumer-grade fireworks to unlicensed people set up tents in Princeton and were shut down in the same day by the Princeton Fire Department.

“The city of Princeton does not issue anybody permits to buy or sell consumer-grade fireworks,” Hanna said. “Also, you can’t go to another community and purchase these types of fireworks and come back and use them in Princeton. The reason these are illegal is because they’re dangerous.”

Consumer-grade fireworks are made of cones including showers of sparks, fountains, repeaters or cakes, mines, comets, tubes, shells, fancy florals and parachutes.

Among the fireworks prohibited in Illinois include hand-held fireworks, bottle rockets, firecrackers, sky rockets, Roman candles, chasers, buzz bombs, helicopters, missiles, pin wheels or any other twirling device.

Hanna urged people to use caution if they choose to use novelty fireworks, such as sparklers.

“Sparklers burn at about 1,800 degrees at the tip when they’re lit,” Hanna said. “When people are allowed to buy and sell sparklers over the counter anywhere, they assume they’re safe. My biggest concern is — would you really give your child something to play with that’s 1,800 degrees?”

Children using novelty fireworks must be under adult supervision at all times, Hanna said. Even so, a child’s clothing could easily catch on fire, third-degree burns could occur, or fires could start very quickly, he said.

“Putting an 1,800 degree sparkler in the hands of a child may not be the smartest thing to do,” Hanna said.

Princeton Police Chief Tom Root said officers will patrol to ensure legal fireworks are used safely and unlicensed people do not use consumer-grade fireworks. Officers will be on hand at the Princeton Jaycees Fourth of July fireworks show to provide assistance to the audience, he said.

“We will definitely be there to make sure everything goes well during the show,” Root said. “We’ll help make it an enjoyable evening for everybody.”

Prior to the fireworks display, the Princeton Fire Department inspects the area, issues the licensed professionals a permit, and remains on-site during the show with a fire truck and an ambulance.

The zero-tolerance Illinois statute on fireworks, newly enforced last year, will again be enforced by the Princeton Police Department before, during and after the Fourth of July. Any person possessing illegal fireworks will be cited and officers will confiscate the fireworks. No warnings will be issued.

People who think they may have illegal fireworks in their possession are encouraged to call the Princeton Fire Department at (815) 875-1861 or the Princeton Police Depart-ment at (815) 872-2351 to arrange to have the fireworks inspected and disposed of without penalty. If there are any questions about which fireworks are legal or illegal, call the Princeton Fire Department at (815) 875-1861.

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