CLEVELAND — July 4, 2020 will be different thanks to COVID-19. Many Ohioans are staying close to home, beaches and parks are expected to be packed and annual fireworks shows have been canceled because of the pandemic.
According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, firework sales have skyrocketed. So have complaint calls to police departments across Northeast Ohio.
In Cleveland, complaint calls about fireworks have skyrocketed. Last June, Cleveland Police data shows there were 122 complaint calls about fireworks. As of June 25, 2020 there have been 868.
Cleveland is not alone. Complaint calls are up in Parma Heights too.
“Compared to last year, our calls have doubled,” said Parma Heights Detective Adam Sloan.
Mohammed Awadallah and his young family live near Edgewater Park.
“It seems like as soon as it’s nightfall it’s going on until two or three in the morning,” said Awadallah. He said the sound of the fireworks wakes his two-year-old son up during the night often.
It’s not just children who don’t like the noise.
“All night long, they’re going off, the dogs are up all night,” said Dina Gangale. She noticed an increase in the number of fireworks being ignited in her neighborhood.
“These fireworks are nonstop. Usually, it starts the day before but it has been going on for weeks,” she explained.
“It is illegal to possess and it is illegal to ignite or explode fireworks in the city of Parma Heights and the state of Ohio,” said Sloan.
That is a first-degree misdemeanor in the state of Ohio. It’s punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
