Requesting Changes to Fireworks Legislation
Last night, Borough Council endorsed sending correspondence to our local legislators requesting their support to repeal or amend Act 43, the state fireworks law that was signed in October of 2017. Changes to the law can help keep Carlisle Borough and our surrounding communities safe from consumer-grade fireworks that put our neighborhoods in danger.
Act 43 allows for the sale of consumer-grade, Class C fireworks. While the fireworks can be purchased legally, they cannot be set off within 150 feet of an occupied structure, which eliminates the majority of Carlisle Borough. However, that law is difficult to enforce, as police must actually witness an individual setting off the fireworks to enforce.
Over the last week, the Carlisle Borough Police Department received over 156 complaints of illegal fireworks. Not only are the fireworks a nuisance, but they can also be very dangerous. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that fireworks cause over 18,500 fires annually, resulting in over $40 million in property damage.
Borough Council will also request an amendment to Senate Bill 932 to include boroughs of 15,000 people or more, which would allow us to issue a ban on these consumer-grade fireworks in Borough limits.
