Residents ask for new fireworks rules

Several Jackson residents spoke at Monday night's board of aldermen meeting and their message was clear: It's time to cut the fuse on the use of bottle rockets in the city.

All eight residents who spoke were in favor of changing regulations to some degree. Six were in favor of banning projectile-type fireworks like bottle rockets. The two who wanted to keep the regulations mostly the same said the minimum age to buy fireworks should be higher than what is currently mandated by the state.

More than 70 people attended the meeting, the most since the Highway 34/72 median debate in April 2002. Some were more interested in the discussions about the abandonment of two streets connected with the Immaculate Conception Catholic school's future campus plans, but more people spoke on the fireworks issue.

Monday night's public hearing was an important step in the future of fireworks not only in Jackson, but in Cape Girardeau as well.

Cape Girardeau city officials said they will take into consideration any action that Jackson might take, with an eye toward keeping the cities' regulations consistent. The board of aldermen hasn't said when it will make a decision on the regulations.

The issue was brought to the forefront when Jackson firefighter John Trowbridge's house caught fire in late June while he and his family were out of town. That fire was caused by bottle rockets.

Richard Aguilar was one of the residents to speak against the use of aerial fireworks.

About two years ago, Aguilar said he approached the board about a handful of rocket stems he found on his property, many of which he picked up off his roof.

He said he complained to the city about the juveniles who were shooting them on his property, but nothing was done about the problem.

"Guess what?" he exclaimed. "The same kids did the damage to this fireman. That could have been my house burned down. I've seen two houses burned down by fireworks, one in Denver and now one in my own neighborhood. I don't want to see the kids not have fun, but I don't want to see my house burned down."

More unpredictable

Even a fireworks salesman said he was in favor of outlawing the rocket-type fireworks.

Rick Hoffman, of Hoffman Family Fireworks, explained to the council that those types of fireworks are more unpredictable, particularly in cities where trees and electric wires can knock them off course, and that they can keep burning after they land.

But he said "cake-type" fireworks that sit on the ground and fire straight into the air are not nearly as dangerous and shouldn't be banned. He said he was also in favor of making the minimum age to buy fireworks at least 16 so vendors can ask for a driver's license for proof of age. Currently, the state's minimum age of 14 is what is applied in Jackson.

Chris Wheeler, a part owner of Patriot Fireworks, which has tents in both Cape Girardeau and Jackson, provided the board with some statistics on fires and injuries caused by fireworks.

Wheeler's figures came from the National Council on Fireworks Safety, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Pyrotechnics Association.

Wheeler pointed out that less than 1 percent of all fires are caused by fireworks and children ages 5 to 14 are far more likely to be injured on stairs or by a baseball than by a firecracker or bottle rocket.

However, aldermen Dale Rauh said those numbers would be much higher if fireworks were shot off year-round.

The CPSC estimated 8,800 people were treated for fireworks-related injuries in 2002, down almost 3,000 from 1990 even though more than three times more fireworks were sold in 2002 than in 1990.

'Too extreme'

Wheeler said he understands the concerns people have about fireworks -- he has some of his own -- but he argued that fireworks should not be banned.

"I think that's too extreme of an approach for this issue," he said before the meeting. "Nothing I could say would justify the loss of a home, but I think a lot could be done to minimize injuries and hazards in the future."

He said most of the problems stem from "adventurous and experimental teenagers who tend to ruin the party for everybody. I think a lot of kids take fireworks too lightly, and I think a lack of supervision contributes to the problem."

The person most opposed to a ban on any fireworks was Duane Emmons, an Air Force reservist.

He said he sees shooting off fireworks as a freedom of speech and expression.

"Most people in Southeast Missouri are hunters," he said. "Are you going to ban firearms because someone gets accidentally shot?"

Cathy Horn, who did not attend the meeting, said she has seen enough of the fireworks, from both a personal and professional perspective.

"I think there should be a ban," she said. "I was an emergency room nurse for many years and the Fourth was the worst holiday I worked, mostly due to fireworks injuries. I especially have a problem with the bottle rockets or anything that is out of control when they're in flight. You just don't know where they're going to go, like the home that burned here."

Jackson's assistant fire chief, Les Crump, attended the meeting. He said he thinks raising the minimum age and banning the rockets would help make the town safer. But banning fireworks altogether would be too difficult for the city to enforce, he said.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635