Officials caution this July 4th: "Leave fireworks to the professionals"

By By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Jul 3, 2008 at 1:13 PM EST

Story Updated: Jul 3, 2008 at 1:13 PM EST

WHITESBORO - Fireworks will light up the skies this weekend in honor of the Fourth of July, but local fire officials are warning: leave the light shows to the professionals.

Whitesboro Police already confiscated fireworks from someone in the village. The Vice-President of the Firemen's Association of New York says this is a good time to remind everyone that it's illegal to own fireworks in New York State.

In his career, he's seen good reason why private use is prohibited.

"In my term as Chief, I fought one fire up on the hill here where bottle rockets landed on a wooden roof and caught the roof on fire in the middle of a night and the fire actually burned from outside into the house," said David Jacobowitz.

New York is one of only five states that bans the use of fireworks by consumers.

The National Fire Protection Association says more fires are reported on July 4 than any other day of the year.
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