“Fireworks Prohibited”
The following information is respectfully provided in advance of the July 4th festivities in an effort to increase public awareness, ensure compliance with our City Ordinance prohibiting fireworks, and prevent a fireworks related tragedy from occurring during this year’s holiday celebration.
Under Flagler Beach City Ordinance 9-17 (b) (1) it is considered unlawful for any person to possess, store, use or explode any fireworks in our City Limits.
The City of Flagler Beach utilizes the State of Florida’s definition of “Fireworks”, under Florida State Statute 791.01 (4) (a), which reads as follows; “ Fireworks” means and includes any combustible or explosive composition or substance or combination of substances or, except as hereinafter provided,any article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion,deflagration, or detonation. The term includes blank cartridges and toy cannons in which explosives are used, the type of balloons which require fire underneath to propel them, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, dago bombs, and any fireworks containing any explosives or flammable compound or any tablets or other device containing any explosive substance.
Fireworks present two (2) serious safety concerns for Law Enforcement and Fire Service personnel:
1) Personal Injury, and 2) Fire. If the City Ordinance is obeyed, these two (2) concerns go away, freeing up officials to focus on other important duties.
According to Flagler Beach Police Captain Matt Doughney, fireworks have the potential for “serious personal injury to users and/or observers should an explosive device detonate, misfire or unexpectedly explode.” It’s common to think “it won’t happen to me,” but two (2) players from the National Football league (NFL) sustained substantial injuries in separate fireworks incidents last year. Statistics from a 2014 study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission indicate:
o 230 people on average go to the Emergency Room everyday with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4th holiday.
o 9 people died due to 8 fireworks-related incidents. In at least 2 incidents, the victims were not the users.
The second safety concern is a spark combined with our hot and dry weather. Fireworks can easily start a brush or house fire. “When you add fireworks to dry and windy conditions, the results can be devastating” said Captain Bobby Pace of the Flagler Beach Fire Department.
For additional information, please contact Police Captain Doughney at 386-517-2022 or Fire Captain Pace at 386-517-2010.