County stamps out use of fireworks

Following the lead of other counties, Pinellas bans the sale of fireworks and will allow July 4 displays only over water.

By EDIE GROSS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 7, 2000

CLEARWATER -- July Fourth celebrations in Pinellas County may be a bit more subdued than in years past.

Following the lead of officials from several other bay area communities suffering from drought, county commissioners banned the sale and use of fireworks Tuesday afternoon.

Still allowed, however, are city-sponsored fireworks shows, as long as the displays are over water.

Commissioners also on Tuesday established an open-container law, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in all public places in unincorporated areas.

The fireworks ban was almost a foregone conclusion as local fire chiefs urged commissioners to do all they could to prevent the kind of brush fires that have ravaged at least 85,000 acres in Florida this year.

None of the fires are believed to have been caused by firecrackers. But officials here and in at least 19 other Florida counties say they are not taking any chances.

"There's just too many opportunities for a catastrophe," said Commissioner Calvin Harris.

Commissioners first declared a state of local emergency Tuesday, stating that the sale and use of fireworks during the drought constitutes a nuisance. Then, in what is believed to be a first for Pinellas, commissioners issued an emergency executive order prohibiting the sale, use and display of fireworks, sparklers and other novelties except for municipal fireworks shows over water.

The order also bans all outdoor burning, except for cooking on barbecue grills.

Those who violate the order, which must be renewed every seven days, face fines of up to $500 a day and 60-day jail terms.

"I think we've done everything we can do as a legislative body to try to protect ourselves from ourselves," said Commissioner Bob Stewart, who was not concerned about legal threats from the fireworks industry. "I think the evidence was overwhelming to take the drastic steps we did. I'll deal with the consequences believing we did the right thing."

Pinellas County's order applies to cities as well as unincorporated areas.

Citrus, Hernando and Hillsborough counties all have banned the sale and use of fireworks.

Daniel Hunnewell, vice president of Galaxy Fireworks in Tampa and a member of the Florida Fireworks Association, said he was disappointed with those decisions. Banning the use of the fireworks might prevent fires, but banning the sale only hurts the industry, he said.

"If the ultimate goal is a ban on the sale and use (of fireworks), we in the industry, if government is going to commandeer our business, we feel we should be owed some sort of compensation," said Hunnewell, who argued that officials should ban the sale of cigarettes, lighters, barbecue grills and propane tanks if they outlaw fireworks.

Public officials say they are not targeting the fireworks industry, just trying to prevent a tragedy.

"If some of those woods caught on fire, we could have a New Mexico," County Commissioner Barbara Sheen Todd said, referring to the fire in Los Alamos that began May 4 and consumed more than 46,000 acres and 200 homes. The open-container ordinance, modeled after one in St. Petersburg, prohibits the consumption of alcohol in all public places, including public rights of way, parking lots and other facilities owned or controlled by the county.

The law also bans the possession of open containers within 500 feet of a school, religious institution, package store or grocery.

Residents in Lealman, along with community policing officers and firefighters, had pushed for the ordinance as a way to cut down on public drunkenness and other more serious problems. Sheriff's Deputy Ural Darling said Tuesday that the ordinance will help him disburse drunken crowds before more serious incidents like stabbings and shootings occur.

"We're law enforcement. We're supposed to be able to go out and do something," Darling said. "But because of this loophole, we couldn't do anything."

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