Shooting fireworks tonight? Know the rules

While the best shows may be set off by the pros, authorities expect backyard revelers to ignite thousands of illegal fireworks as usual this New Year’s Eve in St. Tammany Parish.

But beware, lawmen said Monday, court summons, tickets and even jail time will be issued to violators.

“If someone calls and complains, we will go arrest the people,” Capt. Jack West with Covington Police Department said flatly.

It’s a routine action Covington authorities, like Mandeville and Slidell police, face each year. While it’s illegal to buy, sell or light fireworks inside those city limits, it’s legal to buy fireworks in unincorporated St. Tammany, which in some cases could be at a stand across the street. Many simply take them home and light regardless of the law. Twenty stands gained permits to sell fireworks this year compared to 17 this time last year, parish authorities said.

“Until the fireworks are banned completely, it’s just something we have to deal with,” said Neil Ricca, fire prevention chief for Fire Protection District No. 1 in Slidell. “We would support a parishwide ban, but that’s out of our hands.”

In July Parish Councilman Henry Billiot proposed a parishwide ban to plug the problem. But owners of firework stands and enthusiasts protested, leaving the heated proposal dead as a dud.

Now though, some vendors are facing a downswing in sales.

Jay Blair, owner of Crazy J Fireworks south of Covington on the service road of U.S. Highway 190, said New Year’s Eve typically provides the most sales of the year. Now, “they’ve really been off,” he said. “It’s the economy. It has to be.”

Scott Kreeger of Mandeville agrees. He and his children Megan, 9, and Jared, 7, were comparison shopping at Crazy J’s. The lowest price the better, they said.

“We just can’t buy as much this year,” he said.

And while the typical staples such as sparklers and Roman candles are still selling, Sheriff’s Office deputies are doing what they can to stomp out bottle rockets, considered a projectile and the only firework banned parishwide.

Over the past several weeks, deputies have raided firework stores in search of the illegal bottle rockets, Sheriff’s Office Capt. George Bonnett said. In year’s past they walked away with dozens of packs. This year, however, their efforts proved fruitless. No vendors were selling bottle rockets. Still, Bonnett said, its effort is to prohibit more injuries than normal. According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association, fireworks send more than 5,000 children to the emergency room a year. Of those injured, children ages 10 to 14 account for the most injuries, almost always to their hands, eyes or heads, authorities said.

“Playing with fireworks invites disaster,” Ricca said. “It’s just not worth the risk.”

Ricca and others offered some tips to avoid injury, including:

• Leave firework shows to adults and encourage children to stand away and wear safety goggles.

• Discuss safety procedures with children. Teach children to “stop, drop and roll” if their clothes catch fire and make sure they know how to call 911. Show them how to put out fireworks by using water or a fire extinguisher.

• Read labels carefully and follow instructions.

• Never use fireworks indoors.

• Be aware that explosive materials inside fireworks are unstable. Heat and friction could also ignite a wick.

• Always have a bucket of water, or water hose, nearby.

• Remove all pine straw and dry leaves from rooftops and rain gutters.

• Clean the areas around structures on the property.

• Wet down your roof and soak dry vegetation.

• Make a visual inspection of your property after using fireworks and retiring for the night.

•Make sure smoke detectors are working.