City of Fairborn passes ordinance to ban private fireworks

FAIRBORN — People in the City of Fairborn will not be allowed to set off their own fireworks after city council voted unanimously in favor of the ban.

It comes after Governor DeWine signed a law in November which will allow Ohioans to set off consumer-grade fireworks 20 days out of the year around certain holidays.

>> READ MORE: Governor signs new Ohio fireworks law allowing for legal launching on certain holidays

Although, amateur displays can spark problems for some.

Spontaneous fireworks displays throughout the Miami Valley make veteran Nick Henrich uncomfortable.

“I’ve got two, three neighbors a street over that love to set off the fireworks right next to my house, and they’re super loud, they’re super bright, and it’s just— it’s not exactly conductive to a healthy mind,” Henrich said.

Henrich says he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder following his time working as an army combat medic in Afghanistan.

“The biggest thing was, the, small, loud noises that would just come out of nowhere, I get startled pretty easily at them,” Henrich said.

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He supports Fairborn City Council’s decision to pass an ordinance banning fireworks in the city.

“Especially with Fairborn being a military town, there’s a lot of veterans,” Henrich said.

For other communities that have not passed similar ordinances, people will now be allowed to set off their own fireworks, but only on certain days.

Fairborn’s police chief recognizes this never stopped anybody when they were illegal.

“I think people are still going to light off fireworks. We’re not going to be the fireworks police, but this does give us a tool in our toolbox, if people are being continuous problem, it’s keeping the neighbors up, that type of thing, to be able to go out and hopefully shut that activity down,” Fairborn Police Chief Terry Bennington said.

This won’t shut down all fireworks in the city. Fairborn still plans to light up the night sky during its annual Fourth of July event.

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