AUGUSTA — City councilors Thursday night voted to table a proposed ban on the use and sale of fireworks anywhere in the city, saying there is enough time to make a decision before the law allowing them in the state goes into effect Jan. 1.

The new state law will allow consumer fireworks in Maine for the first time in decades. Municipalities may regulate and ban fireworks within their borders.

The council agreed to table the proposal because some councilors said the city needs time to more carefully write a fireworks ordinance and receive input from the public.

Fire Chief Roger Audette proposed the ban, citing the likelihood of injuries being caused by fireworks.

Audette cited a report that indicated there are an average of 8,800 injuries annually caused by fireworks in this country. The same report, he noted, also attributed some 18,000 fires each year to fireworks.

He said the fire department is already struggling to do all the tasks it is already charged with, such as inspections, and couldn’t take on the additional responsibilities to oversee a permit system for fireworks or have the time to respond to additional calls for fireworks-related emergencies.

He said he doesn’t understand why the federal government allows fireworks. He said in light of that, it’s up to city government to take action. He said if a car manufacturer came out with a new model that injured 8,800 people a year, and caused 18,000 fires, that model of car would be recalled because it would be considered dangerous.

“If a car caused that kind of damage and injuries, the federal government would step in and make the manufacturer fix it,” Audette said. “I don’t know why we’re turning a blind eye to fireworks.”

But resident Corey Wilson said if the number of fireworks-related injuries in the nation is scaled down to match Augusta’s population, and to eliminate injuries by types of fireworks which won’t be allowed in Maine, it would work out to about one fireworks-related injury every two-and-a-half years in Augusta.

While noting he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt by fireworks, Wilson said people can get injured in many different ways.

“We can get injured from anything,” Wilson said. “A child can get hurt using a BB gun, you can get hurt driving your car at 65 miles per hour on the interstate. So should we ban BB guns, and lower the speed limit to 25? At what point do we say enough is enough, that people are responsible for themselves?”

City Attorney Stephen Langsdorf said councilors would still have time to enact a ban before Jan. 1 if they table the issue for now.

Augusta’s City Charter states new ordinances, such as the fireworks ban, take effect 30 days after final passage.

The Lewiston City Council voted Tuesday night to outlaw fireworks. And the city of Portland has already banned fireworks.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

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