As the Fourth of July nears, you might be looking to purchase fireworks for the holiday.
Before you go shopping in preparation for the weekend, it’s important to know what can legally be purchased and used in the Southern Tier.
Fireworks sales are underway at retailers and temporary pop-up tents in across the region. In New York state, these locations are only permitted to sell specific fireworks classified as “sparkling devices” for personal use.
If you want to have fireworks at your Fourth of July celebration this year, here are the rules you need to know ahead of the holiday.
Are fireworks legal in New York?
Fireworks known as “sparkling devices” are the only ones permitted for sale and use in New York, according to the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
Sparkling devices are ground-based or handheld devices that produce a shower of color sparks and/or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke, according to state Homeland Security. If ground-based, they must be mounted on a base or spike.
Any sparkling devices that produce a shower of colored sparks or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke must have no more than 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition.
All other types of consumer fireworks, including firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, spinner and aerial devices, are illegal statewide.
How old do you have to be to buy fireworks?
You must be at least 18 years old to buy fireworks.
Fireworks in Binghamton
In the City of Binghamton, fireworks are illegal with the exception of permitted professional displays and sparklers.
In an email on July 1, Binghamton Deputy Mayor Megan Heiman said Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham’s office would get a “relatively large” number of noise and disturbance complaints from residents related to fireworks in the summer months.
In response, the Binghamton Police Department’s Community Response Team made illegal fireworks one of their areas of focus, especially during holiday weeks. Because of this effort, Heiman said, there have been fewer complaints from residents.
In a statement, Kraham urges residents to refrain from setting off illegal fireworks over the weekend.
“Illegal fireworks can cause serious injuries and destructive fires, putting community members and first responders at risk,” he said. “They’re also a drain on public safety resources, generating calls for service at a time when our first responders are already busier than usual.”
Instead, Kraham suggested attending Fourth of July events happening in the city, like the Rumble Ponies game at Mirabito Stadium, where a professional fireworks display can be enjoyed.
Reducing the risk: Staying safe around fireworks
In 2023, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,700 people for fireworks-related injuries, according to the National Fire Prevention Association.
If you are able to legally purchase sparkling devices in your county, the Office of Fire Prevention and Control offers the following safety tips:
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Celebrating 4th of July this year? Here’s a guide for fireworks, laws and safety in NY
Reporting by Jillian McCarthy, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
