City of Cambridge Issues Warning About Fireworks Use, Possession and Sales

City of Cambridge Issues Warning About Fireworks Use, Possession and Sales

You can download fireworks warning flyer here.

CAMBRIDGE, June 2024 – In advance of the Independence Day holiday, the City of Cambridge wants to remind the community that fireworks are illegal, dangerous, and can cause trauma for residents. 

Possession, transportation, and use of fireworks (except by licensed professionals) are illegal in Massachusetts. People who have or use fireworks, including sparklers, can be fined between $10-$100. People who sell fireworks can face a fine up to $1,000, and potential jail time. Any fireworks observed by law enforcement will be confiscated.

Fireworks, including sparklers are not safe, especially around children. Sparklers burn at temperatures of over 1,800° Fahrenheit. For 2023, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said, “there were reports of eight deaths and an estimated 9,700 injuries associated with firecrackers. Out of the eight deaths, five were associated with firework misuse, two with a device malfunction, and one involves unknown circumstances.”

To understand more about fireworks-related injuries hazards around the 4th of July, CPSC conducted an analysis of the injury data in the four weeks surrounding the holiday in 2023 and found the following:

• Teenagers ages 15 to 19 years of age had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries, with children ages 5-9 years old having the second highest rate.
• There were an estimated 800 emergency department-treated injuries associated with firecrackers and 700 with sparklers. 
• The parts of the body most often injured by fireworks were hands and fingers (an estimated 35 percent of injuries) along with head, face, and ears (an estimated 22 percent).
• About 42 percent of the emergency department-treated fireworks-related injuries were for burns.

In addition to causing several quality-of-life issues, the sound of fireworks can also cause anxiety and needlessly frighten small children, pets, our elderly residents, retired military, and neighborhoods affected by gun violence.

Cambridge Firefighters, Police Officers, and Emergency Medical Staff urge everyone to leave fireworks to the professionals. Help us prevent injuries, devastating fires, and protect the people of our city.

Our Public Safety agencies will have ample staff on duty during the holiday. If you have any information on fireworks or wish to report a safety issue, please call Cambridge Emergency Communications at 617-349-3300.

Our approach to illegal fireworks use will be to investigate, confiscate, and educate.