As Independence Day approaches, the Cookeville Police Department reminding residents to follow the city’s fireworks ordinance.
Sergeant Charlotte Austin said people can use fireworks within city limits beginning Tuesday and continuing through Saturday. Austin said during this five-day window, fireworks cannot be used inside city limits earlier than 9am and no later than 10 pm. On July 4th, fireworks are allowed until Midnight.
“I think a lot of people just aren’t educated about the ordinance,” Austin said. “They may be new here or just coming to visit and not know about our ordinance, and then, you know, kids will be kids, and a lot of times it is juveniles or younger people that are just thinking its fun to shoot em at people or you know, from their cars or with their friends but sometimes people get hurt and kind of in the in between.”
Austin said the police department sees people lighting fireworks outside of the allotted time, people using fireworks inside a motorized vehicle, and people shooting fireworks at others.
Austin said the police department wants to remind people that fireworks are fun but also dangerous. Austin said she encourages people not to mix alcohol with fireworks and to light fireworks outside in a safe space.
“Ideally, you would want an open area where there’s not a lot of, maybe trees or houses and things like that,” Austin said. “This time of year, it’s very dry, and so the sparks can cause fires. So, just you know, a safe area where they are not gonna land on people or structures and maybe burn somebody or something like that.”
Austin said the city ordinances prohibit the sale and the possession of “bottle” rockets with an explosive cartridge under the size of two inches in length. Austin said the department will be actively on patrol to enforce all firework ordinances this week.
“They’ll actively attempt to locate anybody that they see firing them in an unsafe manner or outside of the allotted times in the ordinance,” Austin said. “And a lot of times, we’ll just start by educating individuals who may be unfamiliar with the ordinance if we find them lighting them outside of those times, but if the violations persist, there can be a citation for an ordinance violation with a $150 fine per violation.”
The ordinance states that it is unlawful to offer for sale or sell fireworks to anyone under the age of 16. The ordinance also states that it shall be unlawful to explode or ignite fireworks on or onto another person’s property unless permission is obtained from the owner or occupant of said property.
