ST. LOUIS — With Independence Day approaching, many people are turning their attention to friends, food, and fireworks that dazzle in the night sky.
However, fireworks are neither legal nor considered safe in certain areas in our region.
“No, fireworks are not legal in the city of St. Louis,” said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson.
Buzz kill.
Fireworks are also not legal or permitted in St. Peters and St. Louis County. But residents in Franklin, Jefferson, and St. Charles counties in Missouri can enjoy the pyrotechnics, with restrictions.
Jenkerson said he gets asked every year – 'can you outline a safe way to shoot fireworks?'
“No, absolutely not,” he replied.
Here in St. Louis, Jenkerson said firefighters will receive double the 250 daily fire and EMS calls they typically receive, all because of fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Across the country, Jenkerson said within a few weeks of the holiday, there will be about 25,000 additional fires and as many as 20,000 minor injuries.
The fire chief said most of the injuries reported in St. Louis involve young kids.
“What we try to do every year is put the word out how dangerous fireworks are,” he said. “Take sparklers, for instance. The smaller fireworks people think are safe for kids to use, like kids waving sparklers. Those things burn at 2500 degrees.”
Every firework show in St. Louis is inspected in advance, including the famous one on the riverfront, he said.
“Our fire marshals’ office inspects any company coming into the city to do a fireworks shoot," Jenkerson added, "Fair-St. Louis has a large fireworks display and we do practice shots. We look at every kind of fireworks they’re going to shoot. We establish an exclusionary zone. We try to make it as safe as possible.”
Jenkerson said he also knows of a trend where people are making their own fireworks, and those have gotten more dangerous.
City fire marshals are present at every Cardinal home game because fireworks are set off after every home run.