Fireworks are like the weather.

“Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it,” Charles Dudley Warner said in the famous remark often quoted by American author, humorist and lecturer Mark Twain.

Complaints and concerns about fireworks being set off at all hours of the night in Salisbury Township sparked a lot of discussion at the July 9 board of commissioners meeting.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic protocols, the July 9 commissioners’ meeting was again held via the Zoom online meeting format during which 30 participants, including township officials, were registered, according to online meeting information.

Township commissioners are next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. July 23, also via Zoom.

As with the weather, officials are at a loss as to what to do about fireworks complaints.

During the commissioners’ comment portion of the July 9 meeting, President Debra Brinton, noting she received a letter from a township resident, said, “My letter had to do with the fireworks, the amount of fireworks that everyone has been dealing with for quite some time.”

Salisbury Township Chief of Police Kevin Soberick said township police officers had a variety of numerous calls to respond to during the July 4 holiday weekend.

Soberick said that, from 3 p.m. Friday, July 3 to midnight Sunday, July 5, there were 80 calls, including criminal trespass, a $20,000 property loss, report of a suicide, animal cruelty, driving under the influence, two Protection From Abuse violations and also a traffic detail July 3, including one vehicle allegedly traveling in excess of 80 mph, a wanted person and 10 domestic disturbances.

“On the Fourth of July, we took 10 fireworks complaints, most of which we were unable to respond to,” Soberick said. “A lot of the calls we were unable to determine where they were happening.”

“It makes it difficult for anyone to figure out who set them off,” Brinton said, then added, “I love fireworks, but not at 3 in the morning.”

“A lot of times, we’ll get there and nothing’s happening,” Soberick said.

“Know that most people are feeling the same way and know that it’s been going on since May, almost every night,” Brinton said of fireworks being set off in township neighborhoods.

Complaints about nightly pyrotechnic displays have skyrocketed across the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and other states.

One explanation as to why there’s an increase in consumer fireworks use has to do with a theory about frustrations relating to the coronavirus shutdown and the idle time of teens whose recreation programs have been canceled and residents who may not be working and have been confined to their residences.

Fireworks were made legal following the 2017 passage of Pennsylvania House Bill 542, which repealed the Fireworks Act of 1939. Residents may purchase “consumer-grade fireworks,” which include firecrackers, Roman candles and bottle rockets.

Pennsylvania State Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Pat Browne, R-16th, introduced an amendment to a Senate Bill that on June 30 was approved 48-2 that would allow officials in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Bethlehem, Lancaster and Bensalem Township to ban consumer fireworks in their municipalities.

The amendment must receive a final vote of approval in the Senate before it can be considered by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

In introducing the amendment, Browne said fireworks have affected the quality of life for older adults and families with children.

The fireworks also affect the health and welfare of veterans, notably those with post-traumatic stress disorder. The loud explosions of fireworks scares pets, especially dogs.

A 12 percent tax on fireworks, in addition to the state’s 6 percent sales tax, has raised an estimated $15.6 million for the state since passage of the 2017 law.

The July 4 city-sponsored fireworks display was canceled in Allentown.

A city-sponsored July 4 fireworks display was held in Bethlehem.

A July 4 limited-capacity, drive-in fireworks display was held at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, South Whitehall Township.

Parking lot drive-in fireworks displays have also been held at Coca-Cola Park, Allentown.