4th of July Firework Crack Down Across the Hudson Valley

4th of July is almost here and local law enforcement agencies will be cracking down on fireworks across the Hudson Valley.

Are Fireworks Legal in New York State?

It's that time of year again for your yearly reminder, fireworks are illegal in New York State.

Yes, they may be beautiful, but according to the Law Office of Stephen Bilkis & Associates "New York has strict rules concerning the sale, possession and use of fireworks."

If you violate any of New York's firework rules, you could be charged with either a felony or misdemeanor. The Bilkis website states "Under New York Penal Code § 270.00 you will be charged with unlawfully dealing with fireworks and dangerous fireworks if you possess, explode, sell or furnish fireworks."

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services explains:

The law limits the type, size and construction of Sparkling Devices and requires that these devices must be hand held or mounted on a base or spike and be limited in sizes that range from 1 to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition.

However there are specific categories of fireworks that can be used. Sparkling Devices, or ground based/handheld devices "that produce a shower of colored sparks and or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke" are legal in a several NY Counties.

The counties that Sparkling Devices are prohibited are the following:

Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange (prohibited in the Cities of Middletown and Newburgh only), Queens, Richmond, Schenectady, Suffolk, Warren, and Westchester.

Kingston Police Warn of 4th Of July Crack Down

With your yearly reminder above that fireworks are illegal in New York State, one local police department is making sure to push the message out to their community.

On Facebook the City of Kingston shares a message from the Kingston Police Department. They write:

KPD will be cracking down on illegal fireworks in the City of Kingston. Sparkling devices are the only legal fireworks in New York State.

They go on to add "The only sparklers that are legal are ground-based or handheld. Any firework that launches is ILLEGAL."

Celebrate 4th of July Safely This Year in New York State

According to the Clark Burn Center of Upstate Medical University, every year "10,000 people are treated at hospitals across the US for burn injuries related to fireworks."

In a Youtube video shared by New York States Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services a representative from the Burn Clark Center shares that sparklers burn at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

They urge New Yorkers to choose safer ways to celebrate the 4th of July with glow sticks or different colored flashlights instead of sparklers or sparkling devices.