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ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Fire officials from across the Washington region are urging residents to leave fireworks to the professionals this Fourth of July, warning that consumer fireworks cause preventable injuries and property damage every year.
Fire chiefs and marshals from Alexandria, Arlington County, Montgomery County and the District gathered Thursday at the D.C. Fire and EMS Training Academy for a briefing and a live safety demonstration, held on behalf of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Fire Chiefs Committee. After their remarks, officials set off common fireworks such as sparklers and Roman candles to show their destructive force.
For Alexandria residents, the rule is absolute. "All fireworks are illegal in Alexandria," said Deputy Chief Garrett Dyer, who noted that fireworks cause numerous injuries, deaths and property losses each year. Possession of illegal fireworks in the city is punishable by a fine of up to $2,500, up to a year in jail, or both.
The rules are similarly strict elsewhere in the region. Arlington prohibits any firework that explodes, flies into the air or moves along the ground, according to Battalion Chief Matthew Cobb. In Montgomery County, all fireworks — including sparklers — are illegal, with private use or sale punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, said Battalion Chief Jeffrey J. Ewart.
"Every year, we respond to fires and injuries caused by fireworks that could have been prevented," said D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr., who encouraged residents to mark the nation's 250th Independence Day by attending professional displays.
Residents looking for a professional show have options nearby. The City of Alexandria will hold its 277th birthday celebration, combined with the nation's 250th, on Saturday, July 11, at Oronoco Bay Park, with live music, food vendors and a fireworks finale over the Potomac around 9:30 p.m. Admission is free. For those marking the holiday itself, George Washington's Mount Vernon plans evening fireworks on July 3 and 4, along with a daytime show on July 4.
