Boom! Bang! Safe and sane fireworks go on sale today in Lodi
With the Fourth of July less than a week away, people are gearing up for their backyard barbecues, pool parties and fireworks celebrations.
Starting today, Lodians will be able to purchase safe and sane fireworks from six nonprofit organizations selected through the city‘s Safe and Sane firework program to set up fireworks booths in the city.
Nonprofits selling fireworks this year include the Tokay High Band Boosters, Life Line Community Church, Lodi Mexican American Lions, Tokay Future Farmers of America, Lodi Eagles Auxiliary and Jim Elliot Christian High School.
“The safe and sane program has over the past six years generated $456,700 of revenue to nonprofits, so that’s money that goes directly back into the community through the nonprofits,” Lodi Fire Marshal Brad Doell said. “Financially I think it’s a great program for the nonprofits to be able to make a lot of money in a short amount of time and in turn support the various functions that they provide in the community.”
The firework sales will begin today at noon and end at 9 p.m. Sales will resume Friday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day.
According to Doell, safe and sane fireworks can only be discharged on July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11p.m. Those caught discharging at other times could face an administrative fine of
$250 for their first offense, $500 for the second offense and $750 for the third offense, Doell said.
Doell wants to remind the public to be safe and follow the correct precautions when discharging safe and sane fireworks.
“Although they are called safe and sane, that could be a misleading term. They are still dangerous therefore sober adults should be the people lighting the fireworks,” Doell said.
He also advised those planning to discharge fireworks to make sure that there is a safe distance away from all combustibles, houses, and vehicles and make sure there is a bucket of water near by to place the spent firework into to make sure it is fully extinguished.
“You don’t want to put a hot firework into a waste container. It could smolder and start a fire,” Doell said.
According to Doell, it is also important to follow the instructions from the manufacturer and not to elevate the fireworks. Spectators should be 20 to 30 feet away from the fireworks, Doell advised.
While fireworks are fun and beautiful to watch, safety is imperative because accidents can happen.
Doell recalled a time two years ago when someone lit safe and sane fireworks in their backyard and the trees caught fire causing a significant amount of damage to the fencing and landscaping. He also recalled the several times the fire department has responded to people sustaining burns and injuries from handling fireworks.
He recalled last year when a man was attempting to throw an illegal firework out the window of a moving car and forgot his window was closed. As he went to throw the explosive out the window, his hand hit the window and the firework detonated in his hand causing severe damage. The driver of the car transported him to the hospital.
Although the fire department did not respond to that particular incident, they were notified by police of what had taken place, Doell said.
During fireworks time, Doell said that the department typically sees a few grass fires. While they’re nothing that can actually be directly attributed to fireworks, they are suspicious, he said.
For the most part, people in Lodi tend to follow the rules and incidents with safe and sane fireworks are typically low.
Even though the period for discharging safe and sane fireworks has not begun, residents can sometimes hear fireworks being discharged during the evening and night time throughout the city. Doell said what residents are hearing is illegal fireworks and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, along with the County District Attorney and various police agencies and fire departments, are participating in a task force to crack down and actively pursue illegal fireworks.
“Anything that explodes, leaves the ground or moves around uncontrollably would be an illegal firework, so safe and sane fireworks bear the seal of the California state fire marshal on them,” Doell said. “Without that seal that is an illegal firework in the state of California.”
According to Doell, police are conducting undercover buys with people who are selling illegal fireworks on the Internet and there will be increased patrols on the evenings leading up to and shortly after the fourth. The task force has also identified neighborhoods that have historically been problematic and plan to pursue them aggressively.
“The city council, as well as the city manager, have received countless complaints about illegal firework usage up to and after the Fourth of July and it’s our goal after hearing what the public sentiment is about them, is to listen to that and respond accordingly,” Doell said. “We want to reduce the amount of illegal firework usage in the community. Not just from the standpoint of being a nuisance but it’s also dangerous and it’s illegal.”
For those wondering how they can help fire and law enforcement crack down on illegal fireworks, Doell said two years ago the city council added third party administrative citations in the city ordinance.
“They put the power into the hands of community and the neighborhoods,” Doell said.
With the third party citation, if someone catches their neighbor discharging illegal fireworks they can record the time and date, fill out an affidavit, make a statement and face them at an administrative appeals hearing.
“We can’t be everywhere at once, and you know as well as I do as soon as someone lights a firework that thing is up and gone in just a matter of seconds. It’s impossible for us to be everywhere and see all of that taking place and be able to prosecute successfully.”
Having the third party citations can lead to successful prosecutions, so fire and law enforcement is in need of the public’s help to reduce illegal firework usage, Doell said.