Editorial: Leave fireworks to the professionals this July 4

With the Fourth of July less than two weeks away, it's no surprise that Elgin police have stepped up patrols. After all, a lot of people shoot off illegal fireworks leading up to the holiday.

What is surprising is that anyone would complain about police cracking down on fireworks.

But that's what happened last week when the Elgin Police Department announced its enforcement effort on Facebook.

Our own James Fuller reported the department's social media post fueled several comments about the crackdown being "unpatriotic" and not the best use of officers' time.

We don't agree with those comments. We believe the Elgin police deserve kudos.

Fuller reported that the extra patrols started earlier than usual because of the number of calls the department has received about illegal fireworks. Elgin's crime stats show complaints about fireworks started ramping up throughout June, he reported.

Elgin police officers are simply doing what they can to keep people safe. There's a good reason Illinois doesn't allow individuals to sell or use fireworks, including bottle rockets and firecrackers. They are dangerous.

"Fireworks are dangerous and should only be used by trained individuals," State Fire Marshal Matt Perez said in a statement. "Fireworks not only could injure those shooting them but could also start fires in neighborhoods."

This week, the Lombard Fire Department issued a statement warning residents about the dangers of fireworks use.

"Fireworks are designed to reach high temperatures, burn, spark, explode and launch, and are dangerous for nonprofessional users," the statement reads.

Even sparklers, which are legal in the state, reach temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees "and remain extremely hot long after the sparks have ceased," according to Lombard fire officials. Many children are injured each year by sparklers, they say.

We know you've heard this many times before, but we're going to say it again. Leave the fireworks to the professionals.

Many cities and village canceled their fireworks last year because of the pandemic. This year, there will be dozens of public fireworks shows in our suburban area. Any one of them will be better than the do-it-yourself fireworks in the backyard.

Let's have a happy and safe Fourth of July.