EAST LAMPETER TWP., Pa. – The Keystone Fireworks store in East Lampeter Township is ready for their biggest weekend of the year. On one side of their store are fireworks that people from out-of-state can buy and take back home. On the other are fireworks legal to purchase in Pennsylvania .
In Pennsylvania, in order to buy or set-off consumer fireworks you need a permit.
“There are actually hundreds of items allowed in Pennsylvania. They all fall in the category of safe and sane fireworks which includes fountains, novelties, ground spinners, smoke sparklers both hand held and otherwise. There are hundreds of item to chose from,” Kevin Shaub from Keystone Fireworks.
“But with a relatively unknown permit even Pennsylvanians can get the bigger fireworks.
”Many municipalities don’t know about that. Sometimes you’ll call and they’ll say we don’t even know who you need to talk to we haven’t had this type of request before,” said Shaub.
According to State Law, approving the permit is up to the municipality in which the firework show will take place. Municipalities we spoke to say they have either never heard of the permit or say they do not sign it.
“The people who do know about it and have a good safe site to shoot them in and the Township is familiar with that, they come back year after year with their permits and that’s great,” said Shaub.