Recently, King County Council, passed a a 5-4 vote banning the retail sale and use of consumer fireworks in the unincorporated parts of the county, KING 5 reported.
The ban goes into effect in 2022. Public firework displays will be allowed with a permit from the fire marshal – with a limit of displays to two per year on a property. Penalties of up to $250 for violating the new law will not be given during
the first year, during which educating people about the new law will be the priority.
King County is not the first to ban fireworks but certainly a catalyst in this movement. More cities are taking action now to ban the recreational use of fireworks. RMSA advises members to consider taking those steps to ensure the safety of your community.
Professional training needed
Fireworks should only be handled by pyrotechnical professionals during professional displays. While firework displays are some of the most entertaining shows to watch, they’re extremely dangerous
to attempt to put on without the necessary safety training to handle these explosives. Each year, there are people who consider themselves capable enough to create one of these astonishing shows themselves, only for the night to end with risk afoot.
This is important to RMSA, which is why an exclusion for fireworks is noted in the Coverage Agreement. What this means for you is: Use of fireworks in any capacity exposes your city to the resulting risk of flames and explosions.
Find out more about the exclusion by viewing RMSA’s liability coverage agreement.