New Jersey town faces backlash for early 4th of July celebration
CRANFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- A New Jersey town is facing some backlash from residents after town officials decided to hold their Fourth of July fireworks two days early.
The fireworks in Cranford will go off Tuesday night instead of Thursday.
Local emergency officials said it is all about having enough law enforcement personnel to keep more than 6,500 people safe in Nomahegan Park.
The switch to July 2 frayed some nerves and even led to an online petition, but to no avail.
With so many other towns in the county, it means that more county officers can be assigned to the park for the night.
"We do have to be mindful -- and it's incorporated in our risk assessment -- of the threat context, especially to symbolic holidays," said Matt Lublin, Cranford's emergency management director. "You'll have some fights you have to break up, lost children. Those are emergencies to those people, and we need to respond to that quickly."
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