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KS: Be legal, be safe, for July 4th

By Brian Hagen

06/29/2023

(MSC News)--Enjoy the Fourth of July legally and safely.

That's the message delivered in a joint news release from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and Safe Kids Kansas.

Along with spreading the message of safe, legal, handling of fireworks in the state, the release notes that some fireworks, including M-80s and bottle rockets, are considered, by state officials, to be explosives, making it a felony to possess, manufacture, or use such fireworks in Kansas. Sale of such devices, deemed to be “extremely dangerous,” is also illegal.

The release notes that, along with local ordinances, other laws apply statewide, making it illegal to shoot fireworks on or under any vehicle, on any public roadway, within 50-feet of a fireworks stand, a fireworks storage area, a gas station, or any place where liquid gas is stored.

There is good news included in the release, with KDHE reporting a 43% decrease in the number of fireworks related injuries between 2021 and 2022, with each age group, except those of the youngest ages, between 0-3, seeing a decline in such injuries.

2022 statistics show that the majority of injuries are attributed to mortars, sparklers, firecrackers, and the illegal M-80s.

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