Elyria increases enforcement of fireworks ordinance around Fourth of July

After what the mayor said were numerous complaints from residents, Elyria is increasing its enforcement of the city’s fireworks ordinance.

“I had a lot of people reaching out over the weekend - ‘What are you going to do about it, mayor? What are you going to do about it, mayor?’ So we decided to put something into place,” said Elyria Mayor Kevin Brubaker.

Thanks to an Ohio law passed in 2022; Independence Day is now one of a handful of holidays when Ohioans are legally able to light fireworks. However, different municipalities in their local guidelines and some areas still ban fireworks altogether.

Elyria City Council passed an ordinance in early 2023 allowing residents to light fireworks on the Fourth of July between 8-11 p.m. Some neighbors told News 5 that the restriction does little to discourage fireworks in the days surrounding the holiday.

“I’m not looking forward to this evening and this weekend because of the dog,” said Dave Timko.

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The longtime Elyria resident typically marks the holiday by placing a row of American flags through his and his neighbors’ yards.

“I just try to keep it patriotic,” he said.

As much as Timko enjoys the holiday tradition and watching the city’s annual fireworks show, his 13-year-old yellow lab, Amy, does not enjoy the loud booms reverberating around the neighborhood.

“The dog has been just shaking like a leaf. And I have her on medication but it doesn’t seem to be working,” he said. “You should see her at night. It breaks my heart.”

For about two weeks around the holiday, a task force of two officers and a supervisor will focus on fireworks enforcement. The two officers are in addition to the normally staffed night shift.

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“Having two dedicated officers to respond to these calls, we get there quicker, and we’re able to deal with the situation versus going an hour later and the fireworks are already done,” Mayor Brubaker explained. “It’s very difficult for our on-duty patrol officers to respond to those because those are very low-priority calls.”

On July 3, the Elyria Police Department reported the task force responded to or initiated a response to 28 incidents involving fireworks. Interactions with more than 50 individuals resulted in 75 fireworks being confiscated and six citations issued.

Timko applauded the city’s recent efforts to ramp up enforcement of the fireworks ordinance.

“Last week there was quite a few going on. This week, thanks to the mayor and the crackdown, I think it’s gotten better,” he said.

Fireworks vendors told News 5 that they regularly remind customers about safety and encourage them to know their local city’s fireworks regulations.

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“The first thing I ask is how big their yard is – if they’re working in a neighborhood, like with a driveway, or they have a ton of land. And from there, I can give them safety guidance on how to properly light stuff,” said Riley Janke, the manager at Fireworks Planet in Medina. “It’s hard for us to even give guidance on local laws… because one side of the street is different from the other side of the street.”

Janke pointed out the difference between smaller and novelty displays better suited to neighborhoods and larger displays meant for more rural settings.

He added the past week has set a store record for sales, which had already been helped by the 2022 law legalizing some fireworks.

“I do really think we saw a little jump in our business, but honestly people are going to light fireworks no matter what,” Janke said.

Knowing fireworks are a reality around July 4, he always recommends safety precautions.

“We just want to make sure that people are sober, people are smart, they’re just thinking critically,” Janke said.

Mayor Brubaker added, “I would hope they’re being safe, they’re being smart and they’re also being respectful.”

Fireworks complaints should not be directed to 911. In Elyria, residents can call the non-emergency line at 440-323-3302.

Violations of the fireworks ordinance can result in up to a $1,000 fine or up to six months in jail.

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