BAKERSFIELD, CA - Local leaders lit the fuse to crack down on illegal fireworks. Tuesday morning County Supervisors and Kern County's Fire Chief, discussed recommendations from city and county fireworks task forces.
Kern County Fire Chief Brian Marshall said, "We have a zero tolerance for the possession and use of illegal fireworks." Local firefighters said it's a big problem in Kern County and this year was the worst. Kern County Fire issued between 75 and 80 citations for illegal fireworks last Fourth of July weekend and confiscated over 3-thousand pounds of illegal fireworks.
Marshall presented four recommendations to the board. The first was saturation of the communities that are the most problematic. The second is to create, "a massive educational campaign, working with fireworks vendors, would really get the message out to our citizens," said Marshall. Third recommendation, a "social host" ordinance, to make homeowners responsible for the use of illegal fireworks on their property. And lastly, to create an anonymous tip line to report illegal fireworks.
The Board of Supervisors will decide whether to adopt the new recommendations in January. Board of Supervisors Chairman, Leticia Perez said, "The ideas of public campaign and social host stuff is really great, it's creative, I think there should be a positive component in addition to prohibition obviously, so we can nip it in the butt."
Kern County Fire Department said that if you have left over illegal fireworks you can turn them in without facing a penalty.
Kern County Fire Chief Brian Marshall said, "We have a zero tolerance for the possession and use of illegal fireworks." Local firefighters said it's a big problem in Kern County and this year was the worst. Kern County Fire issued between 75 and 80 citations for illegal fireworks last Fourth of July weekend and confiscated over 3-thousand pounds of illegal fireworks.
Marshall presented four recommendations to the board. The first was saturation of the communities that are the most problematic. The second is to create, "a massive educational campaign, working with fireworks vendors, would really get the message out to our citizens," said Marshall. Third recommendation, a "social host" ordinance, to make homeowners responsible for the use of illegal fireworks on their property. And lastly, to create an anonymous tip line to report illegal fireworks.
The Board of Supervisors will decide whether to adopt the new recommendations in January. Board of Supervisors Chairman, Leticia Perez said, "The ideas of public campaign and social host stuff is really great, it's creative, I think there should be a positive component in addition to prohibition obviously, so we can nip it in the butt."
Kern County Fire Department said that if you have left over illegal fireworks you can turn them in without facing a penalty.