Lt. D.G. Schoeppner is Tucker’s liaison to the DeKalb County Police Department and can be followed at facebook.com/dgschoeppner or emailed at dgschoeppner@dekalbcountyga.gov.
For a long time, fireworks were not legal in Georgia. Of course, this didn’t stop folks from obtaining them. Every year people would cross the border into Alabama and South Carolina to get their fireworks. In 2016, the legislature recognized this and made them legal to purchase and use. Since then, there has been no end to the amount of confusion of how late and on what days they can be used. Since the 4th of July holiday is upon us, we are going to take some time to talk about fireworks and how to use them safely and legally.
State regulation O.C.G.A. 25-10-2 and Tucker Ordinance 16-67 govern the use of fireworks. Some of the highlights from these regulations are:
- It is unlawful to use fireworks indoors
- Fireworks can be legally discharged on normal days between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. at most locations within the City
- They can be discharged from 10 a.m. until midnight anywhere on January 1, July 3, July 4, and December 31
- Fireworks cannot be set off within 100 yards of anywhere that sells gasoline
Now remember, just because you can use fireworks doesn’t mean that you always should. If you do, safety should be your primary concern. Here are some safety measures you should consider:
- Children should not be allowed to use fireworks
- You shouldn’t consume alcohol or drugs while handling fireworks
- Only set off one firework at a time
- Make sure you discharge your fireworks at a safe distance from other people and property
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when discharging fireworks
- Celebratory gunfire is never a substitute for fireworks. Shooting in the air is not only unsafe, but illegal
If everyone follows the rules, there is no reason why we can’t all have an enjoyable holiday. If you happen to encounter a scenario where someone isn’t following the rules, please call 911. We will respond and take whatever steps are necessary to correct the situation.
For anyone that decides that using fireworks isn’t for them, the City will be holding its event on July 3. Even during the pandemic last year, Tucker’s fireworks was a large and very popular event. I’m sure that this year’s will be even better.
