By Sara L. Smith
VIEW Staff Writer

GRAND BLANC TWP. — With the traditional spate of hot dogs, potato salad, the familiar red, white and blue of the American flag and general national pride expected to be on visible display this holiday weekend, so will most likely one other just-as-popular Fourth of July staple: illegal fireworks.

Grand Blanc Township officials plan to be on the lookout to keep the community safe during July 4 weekend celebrations by getting illegal fireworks out of residents’ hands and off the streets.

“We will confiscate all illegal fireworks and issue citations,” said Sgt. Rick Witham of the Grand Blanc Township Police Department.

“Basically, any fireworks that leave the ground or fly or spins are considered illegal.”

Possession of illegal fireworks is considered a misdemeanor offense, punishable by a $500 fine and/or up to 93 days in jail, if convicted. Possession of a specific, large quantity of illegal fireworks can result in federal charges brought by the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau.

Essentially, sparklers, cone and cylinder fountains, toy noisemakers, flat paper caps and toy smoke devices are considered to be of the legal variety. Consequently, Roman candles, bottle rockets, firecrackers and cherry bombs are deemed illegal.

Between 2000 and 2006, 49 people were killed nationwide while handling fireworks, according to statistics compiled by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Roughly 10,800 people were injured by fireworks — with children below the age of 15 comprising roughly one-third of said injuries — in 2007.

Last year, a Melvindale woman was killed after she was hit in the head by a commercial-grade firework.
A valid permit to sell legal fireworks of any variety is required within the parameters of Grand Blanc Township.

The township has never had much problem with vendors in non-compliance of the local statute requiring a valid permit to sell fireworks, according to Witham.

“We check every stand to see if they have a permit,” he said.

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