Council agrees to exempt Meredith Park July 4 fireworks from noise ordinance after city marshal confirms staffing

The Hagerstown City Council agreed at its May 13 work session to exempt the Meredith Park July 4 fireworks show from the city’s noise ordinance after the city’s fire‑safety staff confirmed sufficient certified personnel to cover multiple events that night.

City staff explained the July 4 date had been pulled from the initial list of Meredith Park fireworks dates because the fire marshal’s office initially said it might lack adequate personnel to cover the Meredith Park show, the Fairgrounds Park show and citywide patrol for illegal fireworks that same night. The chief and fire‑marshal staff reported they now have enough state‑certified personnel and internal training to keep loading sites staffed and provide needed patrol coverage for neighborhoods.

When asked how that would be accomplished, the chief explained that state rules require a certified fire marshal to remain at a site where fireworks are loaded and that the city had completed additional internal training and worked with the Office of the State Fire Marshal to ensure there would be certified staff at event sites. After the marshal’s confirmation, council members said they were comfortable approving the exemption; no formal roll‑call vote was recorded at the work session, but council members expressed agreement to include the July 4 Meredith Park fireworks on the calendar and exempt the event from the noise ordinance.