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With The Fourth of July just around the corner, West Easton, like every other community throughout Pennsylvania, will have people lighting off fireworks illegally.

That’s not to say the fireworks being used are illegal, but where they use them are, according to the law.

House Bill 542 was signed into law on October 30, 2017. Under the new law, the Fireworks Act of 1939 was repealed and replaced in its entirety.

That means even more people are able to blow off fingers. It also means that people will continue doing what they have always done, but with bigger and louder explosions.

What are the restrictions on where they can be used?

• They cannot be ignited or discharged on a public or private property without express permission of the property owner.
• They cannot be discharged from or within a motor vehicle or building.
• They cannot be discharged toward a motor vehicle or building.
• They cannot be discharged within 150 feet of an occupied structure, whether or not a person is actually present.
• They cannot be discharged while the person is under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or another drug.

 

We all know that at least two of the above will be violated. The 150′ restriction and not being under the influence are the most ignored.

Not everyone likes fireworks in West Easton. Especially those who have a neighbor sending them up in the air and the spent portion drops on your own roof. Some may have pets that disappear under a bed and refuse to emerge until they finish emptying their bladder into the rug.

Communities with a Police Department are hard-pressed in enforcing the law. Calls come in from multiple areas and they arrive at a residence only to find the fireworks have stopped. They get denials from the homeowner and give a verbal warning. The officer answers another call with the same result. So, it continues through the night. Unless they actually witness something and confiscate what they can see in the open.

For West Easton, the situation with police has never been productive in preventing fireworks from being used. When contracting with another community, West Easton complaints got low priority. Now, with PSP coverage, their responding to a fireworks complaint is put just below the priority of  a cat in a tree.

I read somewhere PSP received more than 5000 calls last 4th of July in Northampton County. Running back and forth through the county on fireworks calls isn’t something PSP does.

For those concerned about fireworks this year, I would suggest getting pro-active. Not confrontational, but certainly not remaining anonymous with a phone call complaining about it.

If you feel your house will get burned down by your neighbor launching bottle rockets or mortars, film it, or take pictures. You can also file a civil complaint in Court.

If your house does burn, it will be your neighbor’s insurance carrier that pays, because you have proof. If you survive the night without a fire, a Court hearing will have your neighbor fined and unlikely to repeat the offense next year, knowing you have your camera in hand.

As for me, I’ll watch the free shows, unless they continue late into the night. Fireworks past a decent hour is just rude.

I also have really great insurance.