Reprinted from the July 2023 Newsletter
Every year, millions of Americans safely celebrate the 4th of July, and other events, with fireworks. In addition to watching the professional fireworks displays, many Americans like to put on their own fireworks show with consumer-grade fireworks.
Fireworks are great fun, but fireworks are a serious business, and as such are regulated at federal, state, and local levels.
While it’s not uncommon for people to refer to a consumer firework that exceeds federal limits on the amount of pyrotechnic composition it can contain as an “overloaded” firework, the correct description is “ILLEGAL EXPLOSIVE” according to the ATF. These illegal explosives, often disguised as consumer fireworks, sometimes homemade, threaten the safety of first responders, law enforcement, and the public. In recent years we’ve seen an uptick in the number of incidents where fireworks and/or potentially illegal explosives are being used as weapons against law enforcement, fire department, and EMS personnel.
These illegal explosives are no joke. They have not been tested for compliance with federal standards and generally contain a dangerous amount of pyrotechnic composition. Federal law prohibits the manufacture, storage, distribution, transport, or receipt of explosive materials without a federal explosives license or permit. The mere possession of illegal explosives can result in being federally prosecuted with substantial monetary penalties and jail time attached to a conviction. In addition to being illegal, these illegal explosives are very dangerous and subject all in the vicinity of these devices to a high risk of injury.
