It’s back to the drawing board after new Wichita rules fizzle in illegal firework enforcement

Ann Marie Buerkle of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission talks about fireworks safety. This video includes dramatic fireworks demonstrations. They suggest leaving professional fireworks to the professionals and celebrate safely. BY

Last year was the inaugural run of the new fireworks enforcement protocol in Wichita, but the promise of a $250 fine didn’t stop residents from celebrating the Fourth of July illegally. In fact, the number of firework related complaints were up last year, reports indicate.

The city ended up writing about 140 tickets. But, Fire Chief Tammy Snow previously said, the citations hardly made a dent in punishing illegal fireworks use. In all, Stuart Bevis, the Wichita fire marshal, said Sedgwick County received about 1,400 complaints about illegal firework use.