Future Of Fairbury Fireworks Displays In Doubt

By Gordon HopkinsAccording to Fairbury Mayor Spencer Brown, “This year may be the first year in a very long time that the city of Fairbury will not have fireworks on the 4th of July.”Traditionally, the annual fireworks display is sponsored by VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 3113. However, the mayor was informed last week that the VFW is no longer able to put on the display. FJN spoke to VFW member Devin Lovgren, who explained the problem has to do with changes made by the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives). ATF is responsible for regulating explosives, including display fireworks.Lovgren said, “We’re not doing it this year, because no one can pass the test. A lot of the test is now on electronic firing. We don’t do that.” In addition, the State Fire Marshal regulations requires any public display where Class B fireworks will be shot to be supervised by a licensed Public Display Operator. If Class C (consumer) fireworks, those that are bought at retail stands, are being shot it is not necessary to have a license.“So, there’s two different tests. There’s one with the Fire Marshal’s office,” said Lovgren. “And then you can get a federal license for the ATF.”According to Lovegren, another issue is the bunker.“The ATF changed requirements on the bunker, and it has to be concrete, “said Lovgren. “Used to be put in a trailer. Nope, that’s not good enough. So then you have to have an actual bunker.” The VFW reached out to the City of Fairbury about the possibility of taking over the fireworks show. Lovgren said, “And so we went to the city to say, ‘Hey, can you guys do it?’ And they said their insurance won’t let them. Well, we used to carry the insurance.”One possibility is to hire a professional contractor. Lovgren said, “I contacted the City of Lincoln, and they used to do the same thing. Their fire department used to do it. But now because of the requirements and testing and everything, because you have to retest every year, and the test changes every year, they just contract it out and they go with a professional.” Mayor Brown told FJN he is hoping someone else will be able to take up the mantle. “Hopefully with some media exposure someone would be willing to take the task on of organizing them since the VFW can no longer do it.”

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