City Reminds Us Fireworks Are For Professionals

With July 4th just days away, Mayor Bloomberg, Fire Commissioner Scopetta and Police Commissioner Kelly are reminding residents that fireworks are completely and totally illegal. Some interesting stats from the city's press release:
- 1,100 cases of illegal fireworks have been confiscated by the NYPDMayor Bloomberg said, "In the hands of a trained professional, fireworks can produce some of the most thrilling shows you'll ever see. But in the hands of an amateur, they are very dangerous and illegal," and urges New Yorkers to call 311 to report illegal fireworks.
- Nearly 50 people have been arrested for possessing or trafficking illegal fireworks
- 29 vehicles have been seized
- A seventh-month old boy suffered burns on his face from an illegal pyrotechnic in Brooklyn.
- Last month a structural fire on Staten Island was started by a child playing with fireworks in his bedroom.
The NY Times has an article about how both NY and NJ are trying to prevent people from bringing illegal fireworks (usually bought in Pennsylvania) back to their homes. The comic relief in the article is two NJ teens who tried to enter a Pennsylvanian fireworks emporium while smoking. They ended up buying two bags of stuff, including "an ominous-looking tube wrapped in red."
Photograph from a 2003 press conference about illegal fireworks - that poster board collage is pretty nifty!
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