Council looks at tougher illegal fireworks ordinance

By Adam Swift

The scourge of illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July is a problem that is hardly unique to Revere, but the City Council is looking to step up enforcement of the problem.

Last week, the council approved a motion by Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino to hold a public hearing on an amended ordinance on the regulation of fireworks in the city.

While the issue of illegal fireworks in the city has always been an issue, Serino said it has only gotten worse in recent years.

“Over the last few years, there has been a very large increase of people lighting off fireworks not just on the Fourth of July, but in the days leading up to and for a few days after the fact,” said Serino.”In particular, in the St. Mary’s Church in the parking lot the last few years, people have been going down there and lighting off fireworks. But this year, there was almost an arranged show by a group of people who went down there, and not only were they illegally lighting off fireworks, but the state of the St. Mary’s parking lot was in disarray from the fireworks that were shot off.”

The illegal fireworks can cause traumatic flashbacks for veterans with PTSD and can be a danger for pets, Serino said.

In addition, with tightly packed neighborhoods, the fireworks could cause a fast-moving fire.

“This Fourth of July, more so than any, was just out of control in West Revere,” said Serino.

Serino said there is a fireworks ordinance on the books, but that there is just one sentence that bans people from lighting off fireworks within the city limits.

“This ordinance I took from the state law that poses harsher penalties and seeks enforcement of people shooting off fireworks,” said Serino. “I know our police department is taxed, I know our resources are few and far between, but this is a public safety issue and I think we need to treat it as such and at least get it on the books, because right now, what we have on the books is inadequate to provide public safety.”

Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said he supported Serino’s motion, and that there was a similar issue on Shirley Avenue on the Fourth of July.

Council President Pro Tem Joanne McKenna said that she is concerned about illegal fireworks causing a fire in her tightly packed Beachmont neighborhood. She added that the city should send out a reverse-911 call close to the Fourth of July informing residents about the ordinance banning illegal fireworks.