Crime & Safety
County Says Fireworks Amnesty Program is Back to Usual Success Level
Residents can turn in illegal fireworks without repercussions.
The county’s has returned to its usual standard of success, despite reduced response rate in previous years.
According to the county’s Fire/EMS Department, four people have turned in sets of illegal fireworks this year – a number the PGFD expects to rise significantly in the next few days.
The program is in its ninth year of operation, said Mark Brady, PGFD spokesman. There have been fewer turn-ins since the Fire Department stopped offering tickets to Six Flags and Bowie Baysox games as enticement, but there are still a large number of people cooperating, he said.
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The amnesty program was created in part to let people know that consumer fireworks—or any fireworks not operated by licensed professionals—are prohibited in the county.
“Most people just don’t know that [fireworks] are illegal here,” Brady said.
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He said that there was a noticeable decline in firework-related accidents since the ban went into effect 15 years ago.
No illegal fireworks injuries have been reported in the county since the creation of the fireworks amnesty program in 2002, he said.
Brady said most people who buy fireworks get them on vacation in places where they are legal and bring them back to the area. Some online retailers, such as Florida-based Superior Fireworks, follow specific guidelines for sale in areas where fireworks are prohibited.
“We follow the regulations of fireworks sales that [are] maintained by individual states. The state of Maryland allows the sale of sparklers but we don’t sell anything else to anyone in Maryland,” said Matt Tappas, owner of Superior Fireworks.
Despite the effectiveness of the amnesty program, Brady said that the biggest deterrent for private illegal fireworks displays is the high number of municipal fireworks shows in the area. Almost a dozen will be held in Prince George’s County alone.
The amnesty program is in operation until two weeks after the holiday. Call 301-583-2200 to arrange for a member of PGFD to pick up fireworks from your home or business.
