(a)

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-104-211

  • Display fireworks: means those fireworks designed primarily to produce visible or audible effects by combustion, deflagration or detonation and that are classified as 1. See Tennessee Code 68-104-202
  • Event: means any function or gathering at which there will be a fireworks display, a pyrotechnic display, a flame effect display or any combination of these displays. See Tennessee Code 68-104-202
  • Fire marshal: means the state fire marshal. See Tennessee Code 68-104-202
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Permit: means the written authority of the state fire marshal issued under the authority of this chapter. See Tennessee Code 68-104-101
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Sale: means an exchange of articles of fireworks for money and also includes barter, exchange, gift or offer thereof, and each such transaction made by any person, whether as principal, proprietor, salesperson, agent, association, copartnership, or one (1) or more individuals. See Tennessee Code 68-104-101
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Special fireworks: means :
    (A) All articles of fireworks that are classified as Class B explosives in the regulations of the United States department of transportation. See Tennessee Code 68-104-101
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Items of fireworks that are to be used for public display only and that are otherwise prohibited for sale or use within this state include display shells designed to be fired from mortars and display set pieces defined as 1.3G fireworks or display fireworks in the regulations of the United States DOT for transportation of explosive and other dangerous articles.
(2) Public displays shall be performed only under competent supervision, and after the persons or organizations making the displays have applied for and received a permit for displays issued by the state fire marshal.
(3) Applications for permits for public displays shall be made in writing at least ten (10) days in advance of the proposed display, and the application shall show that the proposed display is to be so located and supervised that it is not hazardous to property and that it shall not endanger human lives; provided, however, that the fire marshal may accept applications and issue permits for public displays within the ten-day window and charge the applicant, in addition to the regular permit fee, an expedited permit fee, to be established by rule but not to exceed twice the amount of the regular permit fee, for the issuance of an expedited public display permit.
(4) If the display is to be performed within the limits of a municipality, the application shall so state and shall bear the signed approval of the chief supervisory officials of the fire department of the municipality. At the time the application for a permit is filed for a public display to be held within the limits of a municipality, the permittee shall send a written notification to the chief supervisory official of the police department of the municipality stating the date, time and location of the public display. At the time the application for a permit is filed for a public display to be held within the limits of the county but outside the limits of a municipality, the permittee shall send a written notification to the chief supervisory law enforcement official of the county stating the date, time and location of the public display. If the display is to be performed within the limits of a county, but outside the limits of a municipality, the application shall so state and shall bear the signed approval of the chief supervisory fire department officials of the county, or the officials’ designees. The chief supervisory fire department officials of such county, or such officials’ designee, shall have the authority to demand all necessary documentation to ensure that the permittee has a fire suppression vehicle or firefighter at the site of the fireworks display as required by this part. Such documentation does not have to be submitted to the department. The applicable fire department official who issues approval of the fireworks display pursuant to this section shall determine how many firefighters are required for such fireworks display.
(5) Permits issued shall be limited to the time specified in the permit, and shall not be transferable. Possession of special fireworks for resale to holders of a permit for a public fireworks display shall be confined to holders of a distributors permit only.
(b) The permittee conducting an outdoor public display of fireworks shall have at least one (1) fire suppression vehicle or apparatus with the necessary personnel on site during the outdoor display as determined by the fire department official with authority to issue approval of the fireworks display. The permittee is responsible for all costs associated with the fire suppression vehicle or apparatus.
(c)

(1) The permittee conducting an indoor public display of fireworks shall have at least one (1) trained firefighter or certified fire inspector on site during the indoor display. The trained firefighter or certified fire inspector may be a volunteer firefighter, a firefighter from another jurisdiction, or an inspector with the appropriate credentials as determined by the fire department official with authority to issue approval of the fireworks display. The permittee is responsible for all costs associated with the trained firefighters or certified fire inspectors.
(2) Immediately before the start of the program that includes the use of indoor fireworks, the owner of the building or the authorized representative of the owner, shall orally notify attendees of the location of all exits from the building to be used in the event of a fire or other emergency.
(3) At least two (2) working fire extinguishers shall be in the area where the fireworks are to be employed.
(4) In any building in which indoor fireworks are to be employed, signs designating the location of all emergency exits shall be posted in each restroom that is available to the public.