Fireworks will be sold soon; know your local laws

Fireworks stands will open June 27 in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, and proprietors and fire departments are gearing up.

It's important to check with local authorities on regulations and ordinances, Boomland general manager Missy Jones said.

Mary Ann Hoffman, who with her husband, Rick, owns Hoffman Family Fireworks, said individual cities and townships can be more restrictive than state law but not less.

Missouri allows the sale of all fireworks legally allowed in the United States, Hoffman said, but Cape Girardeau and Jackson, for example, don't allow bottle rockets, and Hoffman said she understands the reasoning.

"Bottle rockets have a less dependable trajectory, so there's not as much control over where they end up," Hoffman said.

Fireworks are on display Thursday at Hoffman Family Fireworks in Scott City.Andrew J. Whitaker

Missouri state law requires a person be 14 years or older to buy fireworks, but in Jackson or Cape Girardeau, people must be 17 or older, Hoffman said, so tent workers have to check identification for proof of age.

Jackson and Cape Girardeau also have a shorter selling period than state law permits, allowing sales from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 27 to July 4.

Cape Girardeau's city ordinance restricts use of fireworks to between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. June 27 to July 3, with use allowed from 10 a.m. until midnight July 4.

Fireworks also are allowed between 11:30 p.m. Dec. 31 and 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1.

Cape Girardeau fire inspector Ivan LeGrand said he will inspect fireworks stands June 26 in preparation for their opening June 27.

State law requires each fireworks stand be licensed, and some establishments, such as Boomland in Benton, Missouri, have a special license allowing them to sell fireworks all year, Jones said.

Hoffman Family Fireworks on Thursday in Scott City.Andrew J. Whitaker ~ Southeast Missourian

"We sell year round," she said, adding, "We usually see a spike in business Memorial Day weekend, drops off after the Fourth, and we see spikes at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve."

Cody Jones, who has worked at Boomland in Benton for four years, said he enjoys working with people to help them build their displays.

"I've helped put together shows for nursing homes, private individuals, businesses," Cody Jones said. "I like helping people."

Cody Jones said shopping for fireworks brings out people's inner child, and they're in a great mood, but it's important to remember basic safety rules still apply.

At Boomland, signs remind people not to smoke, and "we have fire extinguishers, emergency exits; we try to stay safe, be careful while we're handling the fireworks," he said. "We don't want anything bad to happen."

Mary Ann Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Family Fireworks, poses for a photo in Power House Alley in her store Thursday in Scott City.Andrew J. Whitaker ~ Southeast Missourian

For people at home, Cody Jones said, it's important to keep a bucket of water and a hose handy and not to relight a firework if it doesn't go off.

"Have a level surface for fireworks," he said, adding, "You don't want tubes falling over or shooting sideways."

Never aim fireworks at another person, Cody Jones said.

"We don't support bottle-rocket fights," he said. "People ask the best way to build a sparkler bomb. Just don't. You have to remember these are explosives."

LeGrand said it's important for people to have fun but be responsible.

"We work probably one to two incidents a year with firecrackers, either accidents or playing around," LeGrand said.

Shelves are filled with reload able fireworks at Hoffman Family Fireworks on Thursday in Scott City.Andrew J. Whitaker ~ Southeast Missourian

There's always the question of how old children should be before being by themselves with fireworks, and to that, LeGrand said parents should use their best judgment.

Hoffman said fireworks store relatively easily, provided they're not exposed to flame or water.

"It won't hurt them to be in your car's trunk while you're shopping, for example. Ours are stored in un-air-conditioned warehouses, no problem. Just handle them responsibly," she said.

Hoffman said the federal government has put more regulations in place than people saw 40 or 50 years ago.

"Cherry bombs are long gone. There were a lot of accidents, but there are more restrictions now. That's helped with safety," she said.

Fireworks contain gunpowder, which gives the explosion its percussion and, for aerial displays, height. Other chemicals, including sodium, magnesium, copper, strontium and others can be included in varying proportions to produce different colors or effects.

"Fireworks have been around for thousands of years," Hoffman said. "More recently, companies have been experimenting with formulas, giving us a bigger variety of colors and effects."

Safety buckets are given out for purchases of more than $50 dollars at Hoffman Family Fireworks on Thursday in Scott City.Andrew J. Whitaker ~ Southeast Missourian

Hoffman said for her family, having sold fireworks for over 30 years, it's very much a family business.

She said her three children grew up around fireworks, and the Hoffmans want families to enjoy the holiday together.

"We want families to be able to come in, be provided with a good show, and celebrate our nation's freedom," Hoffman said. "And fireworks are a traditional way of helping celebrate."

Hoffman said selling fireworks is a lot of fun, too.

"It's kind of more special because this is something people generally do once a year," she said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

6399 MO-77, Benton, Mo.

5800 East Outer Rd. North, Scott City, Mo.