Purchasing or using fireworks. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to purchase at retail, use, fire, set off, discharge, or set in motion or to ignite within the limits of the Village of Fox Crossing any fireworks as described in this section, except as provided in § 218-43.
Sale or disposal of fireworks. It shall be unlawful for any person,
firm or corporation to offer for sale at retail or to sell at retail,
to loan, barter, deliver or give away, or in any other way to dispose
of within the Village of Fox Crossing any fireworks as defined in
this section. A seller's permit may be granted to persons, firms or
corporations, provided that an application is filed with the Village
of Fox Crossing Clerk's office. The application must be received at
least five working days prior to the requested sale start date on
the permit application. The Village Clerk may issue a seller's permit,
which shall be posted on location after a fire inspection has been
completed. Holders of permits as provided in this section may sell
all items that are listed under § 167.10(1)(e), (f), (i),
(j), (k), (L), (m), (n) and (p), Wis. Stats. A fee as prescribed in
the Village Fee Schedule shall be paid for required inspections.
The Fox Crossing Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau, may adopt
reasonable rules and regulations for the granting of permits for supervised
displays of fireworks by fair associations, amusement parks, and other
organizations or groups of individuals.
Every such display shall be handled by a competent operator licensed
or certified as to competency by the Fire Prevention Bureau, and shall
be of such a composition, character, and so located, discharged or
fired as in the opinion of the Chief of the Fire Department, after
proper inspection, and of the Chief of Police shall not be hazardous
to property or endanger any person or persons. After such privilege
shall have been granted, sales, possession, use and distribution of
fireworks for such display shall be lawful for that purpose only.
No permit granted hereunder shall be transferable.
Bond required. The Village Board shall require a bond from the licensee
in a sum not less than an amount set forth in the Village Fee Schedule,
reference this Code section, conditioned on compliance with the provisions
of this article and regulations of the Fire Prevention Bureau adopted
hereunder.
Liability insurance. Before any permit for a pyrotechnic display
shall be issued, the person, firm, or corporation making application
therefor shall file a certificate of liability insurance in the amount
of not less than $300,000 per accident and $500,000 per occurrence
to satisfy claims for damages to property or personal injuries arising
out of any act or omission on the part of such person, firm, or corporation
or any agent or employee thereof, in such amount, character, and form
as the Fire Prevention Bureau determines to be necessary for the protection
of the public.
No permit shall be issued under the provisions of this article to
a nonresident person, firm, or corporation for conduct of a pyrotechnic
display in this Village until such person, firm, or corporation shall
have appointed, in writing, a member of the bar of this state and
residing therein to be his attorney upon whom all process in any action
or proceeding against him may be served.
The Fox Crossing Police Department shall seize, take, remove, or
cause to be removed at the expense of the owner all stocks of fireworks
or combustibles offered or exposed for sale, stored, or held in violation
of this article.
Application for a permit to operate a professional display of fireworks
in conformance with the terms of this article shall be made, in writing,
on forms provided by the Village Clerk's office to the Chief of the
Fire Department. Application must be filed with the Village Clerk
at least 30 days prior to the display. The Village President may waive
the thirty-day application deadline at his or her discretion.
A diagram of the grounds on which the display is to be held, showing
the point at which the fireworks are to be discharged, the location
of all buildings, highways and other lines of communications, the
lines behind which the audience will be restrained, and the location
of all nearby trees, telegraph or telephone lines or other overhead
obstruction.
Upon receipt of such application, at least 15 days in advance of
the date set for this display, the Chief of the Fire Department shall
make or cause or be made an investigation of the site of the proposed
display for the purpose of determining whether the provisions of these
regulations are complied with in the case of the particular display.
He shall confer with the Chief of the Police Department about the
application and whether issuance of a permit would be consistent with
public safety. Being satisfied that the display is properly lawful,
the Chiefs of the Police and Fire Departments shall together endorse
the application, stating that they approve the display as being in
conformance with all parts of the law and with these regulations.
Failure to approve the application by either the Fire Chief or Police
Chief shall be sufficient cause to deny permit.
The application, following endorsement by the Chiefs of the Fire
and Police Departments, shall be sent to the Village Clerk, who shall
then, upon receipt of evidence of financial responsibility and other
criteria as required by this article, place the application on the
next Village Board meeting for approval. Should the application be
approved, the Village Clerk shall issue a nontransferable permit authorizing
the display.
It will be the responsibility of the Village Clerk to ensure that
the public is notified of the display by means of posting a notice
of the location, date, and time of the fireworks display at the three
approved posting sites. The Village Clerk may also utilize the Village's
website, electronic message center signs, and other means available.
No permit shall be granted for any display of fireworks where the
discharge, failure to fire, faulty firing, or fallout of any fireworks
or other objects would endanger persons, buildings, structures, forests,
or brush, nor in any case where the point at which fireworks are to
be fired is less than 200 feet from the nearest permanent building,
public highway, railroad, or other means of travel or 50 feet from
the nearest aboveground telephone or telegraph line, tree, or other
overhead obstruction. In no case shall such a display be within 500
feet of a school, theater, church, hospital, or similar institution.
Spectators at a display of fireworks shall be restrained behind lines
or barriers as designated by local authorities but in no case less
than 200 feet from the point at which the fireworks are to be discharged.
Only authorized persons and those in actual charge of the display
shall be allowed inside these lines or barriers during the unloading,
preparation, or firing of fireworks.
All fireworks that fire a projectile shall be so set up that the
projectile will go into the air as nearly as possible in a vertical
direction, provided that where such fireworks are to be fired beside
a lake or other large body of water, they may be directed in such
a manner that the falling residue from the deflagration will fall
into the said body of water.
Any fireworks that remain unfired after the display is concluded
shall be immediately disposed of or removed in a manner safer for
the particular type of fireworks. The debris from the discharged fireworks
shall be properly disposed of by the operator before he leaves the
premises. The operator, upon conclusion of the display, shall make
a complete and thorough search for any unfired fireworks or pieces
which failed to fire or function and shall dispose of them in a safe
manner. Such search shall be instituted at the earliest possible time
following the conclusion of the display but in no event later than
the first period of daylight which follows.
All fireworks articles and items at places of display shall be stored
in a manner and in a place secure from fire, accidental discharge,
and theft and in a manner approved by the Fire Prevention Bureau.
The person in actual charge of the firing of the fireworks in a display
shall be able-bodied, at least 18 years of age, competent for the
task, and so certified by the Fire Prevention Bureau. Such operator
shall have his certificate of competency in his possession when engaged
in conducting a display and shall exhibit same on request of any authorized
person. Said certificate of competency may be revoked by the Fire
Prevention Bureau or the Fox Crossing Police Department for any violation
of these regulations or where the holder's conduct or condition of
sobriety is such as to imperil the public safety. Each person assisting
the certified operator shall be able-bodied, at least 18 years of
age, and capable of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding
the English language.
There shall be at all times no fewer than two operators of the display
constantly on duty during the discharge, at least one of whom shall
be certified.