Fireworks popularity explodes

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BY ANDREA HOLECEK
holecek@nwitimes.com
219.933.3316 | Sunday, June 29, 2008 | (9 comment(s))

Fireworks stores have exploded along the Indiana/Illinois border and on local interstates.

By June 23, the state had issued a total of 904 fireworks sales' permits, including 84 permits for Lake County, one permit for every 5,858 of its residents. In Porter County, the ratio was one fireworks sales permit for each 5,180 residents.

As of the same date, 91 permits were issued for Marion County fireworks sales sites, or one permit for every 9,635 people in Indiana's largest county and the location of its state capitol.

Of the Indiana counties with the three with the most license per capita: Knox, Union and Jay, all are along its border, Knox with Illinois, and the other two with Ohio.

Greg Kaplan, the owner of Krazy Kaplans, estimates 60 percent of his fireworks sales are to Illinois residents.

"Stores locate in Lake County because of the Illinois traffic and interstate traffic," said Kaplan, who has nine locations in Lake County, plus and one in LaPorte County located just south of the Michigan state line. "They (out-of-state residents) like fireworks and can't buy them there."

Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, said it doesn't surprise her that people don't follow the rules.

"It's part of our heritage to celebrate our freedom," she said.

Eighty of Kaplan's 340 billboards, and the billboards of other fireworks stores, are along Interstate 294, I-80/94, I-94 and other interstate highways in the Region.

Unlike Indiana, the law in both Illinois, Ohio and Michigan prohibits the use of firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, and bombs. Indiana law permits consumer "fireworks that comply with the construction, chemical composition, and labeling regulations of the U.S. Consumer Products Commission."

The Hoosier state allows fireworks to be purchased "by persons 18 years of age or older, and may by used

only on the user’s property or on the property of someone who has consented the use of fireworks on

their property."

Fireworks to be used only between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on days other than on the Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day and New Year’s Eve holidays, it has permitted communities to restrict their use to 5 p.m. and two hours after sunset from June 29 through July 9, and between 10 a.m. and midnight July 4 and from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

"The community restrictions didn't hurt," Kaplan said. "If people want to enjoy them and use them, they'll buy them regardless of regulations and restrictions."

Indiana law allows fireworks to be used only between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. on any day other than the Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day and New Year’s Eve holidays, when there are no time restrictions.
However, communities can restrict their use to June 29 through July 9, and only during the hours between 5 p.m. and two hours after sunset those days, plus between 10 a.m. and midnight July 4, and from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

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Vince wrote on Jul 11, 2008 6:25 PM:

" I wish more families would stay home and do back yard fireworks shows --- instead of traveling --- over the 4th of July weekend.
With the high price of gas,
it's cheaper to stay home and light fireworks,
than to drive 500 miles on the highway.
Much less risk of injury, too. "

mark wrote on Jun 30, 2008 11:28 PM:

" James, maybe Indiana did listen to the people and thats why fireworks are legal.

As for keeping peace with the neighbors, some people are all to touchy when it comes to any type of noise.

I own a modified muscle car with loud exhaust. i never start it up early in the morning or drive it late at night yet theres always the complainer, saying its to loud and it should be illegal.
When i pointed out to her that her dog barks non stop year round at its shadow and makes more noise than my car ever will, she all of a sudden was speechless and walked away. "

KC wrote on Jun 30, 2008 12:41 PM:

" There are plenty of things that are loud that someone doesn't like and many people own but should we ban them all? Harley motorcycles are loud and American should we ban them? Dogs barking are loud should we ban them also?

The best thing for everyone is to be educated on the proper use of consumer fireworks. I had someone last night doing a small show as I was going to sleep and I had no problem falling asleep. I even found myself wanting to get out of bed to watch them. I get bored with hearing bottle rockets/firecrackers occasionally, but If my choice is all or none i'll take all!

On the danger side there are plenty of things more dangerous and something almost everyone does and that's DRIVING A VEHICLE! I'm sure plenty of people have probably broken a law doing it even though they know better. And EVERYONE gets educated on driving yet there are still tons of accidents and dangers.

Most people only shoot fireworks on the 4th of July and aren't educated on how to properly. How can you expect them to when kids don't even get educated at school! "

Mike wrote on Jun 30, 2008 9:57 AM:

" @Kay

There have been plenty of fireworks going off and I have no issue with sleeping, nor does my fiance. It is easy to tune out and if you'd try to relax a little it wouldn't be so bad. If used responsibly, they are the most entertainment of the summer. There are idiots that use fireworks improperly, but even a bicycle used incorrectly is dangerous. "

Andrew wrote on Jun 29, 2008 11:19 PM:

" James, even though I do not fully agree with you, I respect your opinion. Yes fireworks can be dangerous, but the people that are usually getting injured are drunken teenagers who want to impress their friends by sticking a rocket in a bodily orifice and then lighting it. I also agree that if personal fireworks displays carry on too late into the night, they can get annoying, but if they are lit during a normal time period, I do not see anything wrong with discharging consumer fireworks. Also, assuming professional fireworks displays are completely safe is incorrect. Just because the people lighting off professional displays do have all the licenses and experience required to handle those types of displays things can and do go wrong, in fact, if an accident happens at a professional display, it is likely more people are going to be injured because display-grade fireworks are much larger and have more pyrotechnic composition than a normal consumer-type firework. That is just my .02. "

kay wrote on Jun 29, 2008 10:03 PM:

" I lived in N.W. Indiana for 20 years. I cannot tell you how much I grew to HATE fireworks. My normally quiet neighborhood turned into what sounded like a war zone for the entire summer. I had to sleep with my windows closed at night because people kept it up ALL NIGHT LONG! Too bad the fun of the anticipation of lighting fireworks on July 4 is no longer a tradition, and too bad nobody really cares anymore about keeping peace with your neighbors. "

James Reynolds wrote on Jun 29, 2008 3:03 PM:

" I think the state of Indiana should stop all firework sales in the state except for professional displays only. they're dangerous, they're annoying(except for July 4), and they go on far to late or early in the day.
but knowing Indiana the way I do, that will never happen because since when does Indiana lawmakers ever listen to its people?
So as usual tax money talks... "

Sean wrote on Jun 29, 2008 12:41 PM:

" It is good to see that the popularity of fireworks is increasing rather than decreasing. Even in the counties that restrict the use of fireworks to only a few hours is better than having an all out ban. I just hope no one will do anything stupid to get the fireworks banned in those places. "

mark wrote on Jun 29, 2008 1:53 AM:

" Indiana unlike its neighboring states is smart, they take in a lot of tax revenue because of the sale of fireworks. "

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