Fourth Of July 2018: Oak Creek Fireworks Violations Costly

OAK CREEK, WI — As Fourth of July approaches, the city of Oak Creek is reminding residents to follow state and local laws regarding the purchase and use of fireworks, as well as to exercise extreme caution. Only very specific consumer fireworks are allowed within the city.

Oak Creek Ordinance 11.23 states:

It shall be unlawful within the limits of the City of Oak Creek for any person to sell, expose or offer for sale, use, keep, discharge or explode any fireworks, except toy pistol paper caps, sparklers and toy snakes on their private property.

Violations will be investigated and those who have been warned in the past will be issued citations for the violations.

And if citations are issued, they are costly: the municipal citation for a fireworks violation is $313 in the City of Oak Creek.

Safety First

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2015, about 11,900 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. Sixty-seven percent of these estimated injuries occurred in a one-month special study period (June 19, 2015 – July 19, 2015) around July 4. Most of the injuries involved hands and fingers, the head (including face, eyes, and ears), legs and arms. Children under the age of 15 years old accounted for 38 percent of the estimated injuries. Fireworks should be used only with extreme caution. Older children should be closely supervised, and younger children should not be allowed to play with fireworks, including sparklers.

The CPSC recommends that people follow these safety tips when using fireworks:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

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