On Monday, the police, the Chamber of Commerce and the Road Safety Executive Board launched their joint campaign ‘Let it rip! Anyway!” presented in Linz. During the high season around New Year’s Eve, they want to take more action against “cheap pyrotechnics from neighboring countries”, because if they are not handled properly they are like “bombs”, warned Manuel Scherscher of the Federal Criminal Police against buying illegal fireworks .
Leaflets that will be available from this week at all police stations and via social media provide information about what is and is not allowed by private individuals in Austria and at what age. Category F3 and F4 may only be ignited by qualified personnel. Category F2 is only allowed for young people aged 16 and over, category F1 for children aged twelve and over.
WK: “Items purchased in Austria are safe”
The Chamber of Commerce emphasized that the items purchased from Austrian specialty stores are safe and meet legal requirements, said Dieter Funke of the Chamber of Commerce. But prevention through information is only part of the campaign. The aim of the press conference is to focus on controls, especially in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, to remove the buyers who mainly bought the fireworks banned here from the street stalls in neighboring countries.
Focus campaign for Halloween
In Upper Austria, focus activities started at the beginning of October in view of Halloween, Deputy State Police Director Rudolf Keplinger reported. Last year, more than 600 kilos of illegal fireworks from abroad were seized in Upper Austria, equivalent to 40 kilos of explosives, Keplinger said. So far this year, 26 kilos and approximately two kilos of explosives have been found.
Increasing control pressure at borders is also an effective health precaution, said Michael Takacs, director of the federal police. Every year there are torn limbs, major hearing damage and even deaths as a result of setting off fireworks too early. But there is also a risk of criminal consequences.
Source: Krone
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