Stick with Professional Fireworks Displays this Sunday

When people think of an Independence Day celebration, they think of fireworks. But fireworks are illegal in New Jersey and have the potential to cause harm to both people and property.

The National Fire Protection Association statistics state there were were more than 22,000 fires in 2008 attributed to fireworks that caused $42 million in damage. Plus there have been 3,000 reported injuries of children ages 15 years old and under due to fireworks.

Millburn Fire Marshal Tom Pizzano said fireworks are illegal in New Jersey because of  the potential for fire and injury. 

Fireworks are not illegal in Pennsylvania, though, and New Jersey state police are planning to crack down this weekend on people who may try to bring them into the state, according to an Associated Press report.

Possession or use of fireworks without a permit is a petty disorderly person offense. It carries a fine up to $500 and the potential for 30 days in prison. Selling fireworks or possessing them with the intent to sell is a fourth-degree crime and carries a fine up to $10,000 and a possible prison sentence up to 18 months in jail. 

Pizzano said New Jersey has a dense population so there's more of a risk for damage or injuries from fireworks. Plus people may not realize how dangerous even something like a sparkler, which also is illegal, can be. A sparkler is the firework that most often causes burns, and it can burn at 1,200 degrees. The temperature is hot enough to cause a third-degree burn.

You should never pick up a firework from the ground, because even if it looks as if it has been used, it may still be active.