ELYRIA, Ohio — It’s probably one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Independence Day. In many Ohio cities, the holiday is one of the few times nonprofessionals can legally light fireworks.
Outside of the allowable times determined locally, some find the booming celebrations to be a nuisance.
“People have a tendency to take this as a holiday just to celebrate the fireworks and not what it’s really for,” said Kaaren Sand.
The Elyria resident told News 5 she enjoys a fireworks show as much as the next person. But with several brothers who served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, she said the excessive explosions can be triggering.
“It brought a lot of memories back for a lot of guys that just couldn’t handle it,” she said.
In Elyria, it’s legal to discharge fireworks between 8 and 11 p.m. on July 4th. Outside the designated time, it’s a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to four months in jail.
“Utilizing fireworks can be dangerous. Fireworks explode. They burn at high temperatures,” said Elyria Police Chief James Welsh.
Ahead of Independence Day, a group of officers has been responding to fireworks issues.
In 2024, the city ramped up enforcement of the fireworks ordinance after what the mayor said were numerous complaints.
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That first week, Welsh said the department received about 76 fireworks complaints. During roughly the same time frame this year, that number has dropped to 17 complaints.
“I believe that because we’ve educated the public on what our enforcement strategy is, as well as what the local law is, that it’s worked,” he said.
For two weeks around the holiday, the department’s Neighborhood Impact Unit will focus on fireworks violations while on-duty officers continue their regular patrols.
Elyria Police urge anyone with fireworks complaints to call the non-emergency number and reserve 911 calls for emergencies.
The chief is encouraging everyone to celebrate responsibly.
“We definitely want our citizens to enjoy Independence Day and enjoy the season. But we want them to do it safely,” said Welsh.
