By Bonnie Culverhouse
If you love to ring in the new year with a few fireworks, there are a couple of things you may need to know.
For instance, there is a city ordinance that allows fireworks in Minden 15 days prior to New Year’s Day but not afterward, which generally means patrons should stop discharging them on the holiday.
Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper said, however, there is no scheduled time (day or night) when fireworks cannot be discharged.
“We just ask people to respect their neighbors,” Cropper said. “We will respond to calls from people complaining in reference to fireworks if the hour is unreasonable and request them to stop.”
The chief’s other safety issue: Do not discharge firearms within the city limits.
“It is against the law and very dangerous,” he said. “Bullets fired into the air will come down somewhere, and bullets do not have a name attached to them.”
Also, he said, do not discharge fireworks toward houses or people. Be safe and respectful.
Below is the local ordinance governing fireworks.
The city council has adopted, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire and explosion, that certain code known as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), being particularly the NFPA codes current editions thereof, and the whole thereof, or subsequent editions, changes or amendments to subject code as published by the National Fire Protection Association; save and except as to the section pertaining to “fireworks”. The sale, discharge, use and possession and the manufacture and storage of fireworks shall be prohibited within the city with the exception of allowing the placing, storing, locating or displaying of fireworks in conformity with the provisions of state law concerning fireworks, for the periods of 15 days prior to the Fourth of July and 15 days prior to New Year’s Day. The city council shall itself be the appeals board instead of having a special board as recommended in the section of the code, of which not less than three copies have been filed in the office of the city clerk; and the same is hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out in length herein, and the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of the city.
(Code 1987, § 9-16; Ord. No. 969, 4-4-11)
State Law reference— Authority to adopt codes by reference, R.S. 33:1368.
For those living outside city limits, state law is observed by the Webster Parish Police Jury and Sheriff’s Department.
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