KINGSON – The legal sale of sparklers begins on Monday, June 1 in Ulster County. Vendors must be certified by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Ulster County joined all the surrounding counties to allow sparklers to be sold to persons over 18 between June 1 and July 15 and December 26 through January 2 each year.
“Sparklers on the Fourth of July is as American as apple pie,” said County Legislator Richard Gerentine. .”Bringing the sales tax revenue back into our county, our region, and our state is a win-win for all.”
The state defined “sparking devices” as ground-based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and/or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke.
The new state law allowing the sale limits the type, size and construction of sparklers and requires that they be hand held or mounted on a base or spike and be limited in sizes that range from one to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition.
Despite some objections from fire and EMS officials, voiced at public hearings, other area counties, including neighboring Sullivan, will also permit sparkler sales.
