Denham Springs City Council keeps fireworks ban in place

DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (WAFB) - Denham Springs City Council members discussed a proposed change to the city’s fireworks ordinance at Monday night’s meeting.

The City Council decided to keep the current fireworks ban throughout Denham Springs in place at their meeting Monday night.

The ban on shooting fireworks within city limits has existed for nearly two decades.

The proposed change would allow people to buy and shoot fireworks, but only during certain hours on July 4 and New Year’s Eve.

“Out of respect for our veterans, I would not like to see it happen,” Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry told WAFB.

Officers with the Denham Springs Police Department would enforce the fireworks ordinance.

But Mayor Landry believes it could present a challenge for officers, especially right after the cut-off time.

“I’ve only got three or four police officers on duty on a night shift. So, to go around and try to stop folks like that. And I don’t want to make them criminals and right them a ticket,” he said.

City Councilman Robert Poole had initially suggested the idea. Residents are urged to voice their opinions at the meeting tonight.

Mayor Landry says it’s the council’s decision to make and not his.

“My personal feeling is look; we’ve done without it for 18 years. You have young children that are trying to go to bed at night. You have dogs or cats that are petrified whenever there’s fireworks, and I can tell you that personally from my own experience with my own dogs.

And most importantly, we have veterans who live here suffering from PTSD. And that’s something that I would love to avoid, in honor and respect for our veterans,” said Landry.

The meeting kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Building on North Range Avenue.

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