2011 Fireworks Amnesty
The Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department responds to several calls for injuries related to fireworks each year. The Fire/EMS Department is concerned about the potential for injury and property damage from fireworks. Every year, near the Fourth of July we see and hear of thousands of people injured and sometimes killed due to accidents involving fireworks in the United States. Sadly, many of these injuries and deaths involve children.
Prince George’s County has a law that is meant to protect you.
Plain and simple - ALL consumer fireworks from the
smallest to the largest are illegal.
What’s it all about…PGFD/EMS Fireworks Amnesty Program
• In Prince George’s County, citizens may turn in fireworks without fear of being arrested or fined. Those
desiring to take advantage of this amnesty may contact the County's Fire/Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) Department Operations Center at 301-583-2200. A member of the Fire/EMS Department will come to your home or business and remove your fireworks, without you risking arrest and/or fine.
• The amnesty will remain in effect from June 20, 2011 until July 20, 2011. Citizens may also call the same number to report illegal use of fireworks in Prince George’s County.
The Law in Prince George’s County.
• It is illegal for any person to manufacture, possess, store, offer for sale, sell, discharge, use, burn, or explode any fireworks in Prince George's County, Maryland, except that an authorized display may be conducted by a licensed pyrotechnic professional. Penalties for violations of the law include a fine of up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail.
• Each year, thousands of people are injured and some killed in accidents involving the use of fireworks. These primarily involve those fireworks classified as 1.4g explosives by the U.S. Department of Transportation, commonly referred to as "consumer fireworks." Prince George’s County has banned the sale, use and possession of these fireworks based on the danger to our citizens caused by the misuse of these products.
This is the ninth year that the Fire/EMS Department has offered an Amnesty Program.
Thousand of pieces of dangerous fireworks have been turned over to authorities during this period.
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