Friday, July 10, 2015

Fireworks past, this year (7/4/15)


Pacifica Tribune, Jane Northrop, Staff Writer, 7/7/15. "Citations for illegal fireworks down from last year."

Image result for fireworks in the air picture
Blast from Linda Mar valley,
plus bombs away
Image result for fireworks picture
Somewhat safe and sane fireworks
.... "The safe and sane fireworks were set off atop ladders in the middle of streets for a big effect that could be seen the whole block long. Families lit sparklers and waved them around after dark. It's a Pacifica tradition to celebrate July 4 this way because safe and sane fireworks are legal here. They help support the many non-profit organizations that sell them.

....  There were nine citations. ....All but one citation for illegal displays were in south Pacifica neighborhoods. ... the one in the north end... There were a total of 30 officers on duty between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. .... 112 calls from residents flooded the switchboard at the Pacifica police department."  Read article.

Related article,  Channel 13000/Michelle M. Guibeau-Sheppard, contributing writer, 6/27/15, "Are there safe fireworks." .... "Because fireworks involve high heat and explosives, there are no safe fireworks, and there is always the possibility that fireworks may cause injury or even death. ... According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the body parts most often affected by fireworks are hands, eyes and head (including face and ears)."

Note photographs.  Sparklers from the related article above.  Overhead illegal fireworks from Jean-Paul Close's blog. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Only 9 tickets this year. 14 last year. The PD could have set up a substation on Rosita and busted a hell of a lot more than only 9!!

Anonymous said...

They could have issued more than 9 if they just stayed at Lindq Mar beach. There were skyrockets going up most of the night, some of them practically next to the police station.

Anonymous said...

Illegal fireworks started a fire at 1:00 am on the 4th, near the back north corner of Pedro Point shopping center, across from the creek and the beach. The Fire Dept. was called and put the fire out. Homes and commercial property were in danger. When is enough? When will zero tolerance mean zero tolerance?

Kathy Meeh said...

Thanks for your comments 142, 305, 822, which woke me up. The intended second paragraph to the article has been added. Somehow that mixed-numbers paragraph was omitted the initial set-up.

".... There were nine citations. ....All but one citation for illegal displays were in south Pacifica neighborhoods. ... the one in the north end... There were a total of 30 officers on duty between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. .... 112 calls from residents flooded the switchboard at the Pacifica police department."

822, wonder if we'll hear about the Pedro Point fire in next weeks Tribune?
Especially with serious drought conditions, some of us think, the time for neighborhood fireworks may have passed. And surely there must be other ways to fund organizations, rather than put our City in jeopardy each year at this time.

Chris Porter said...

I was suprised to read that citations were down. In the 30 years I have lived in Pacifica, this was by far the worst year with illegal fireworks beginning the 3rd around 8pm and going on until at least 3am the 4th. This is the first year I have ever called the police due to a large dry lot directly behind my house. It's really too bad that the people using the illegal fireworks will end up spoiling it for the small children that love the sprinklers.

Anonymous said...

If we had sprinklers, we'd be OK Chris. I think you meant sparklers!

Steve Sinai said...

This was one of the quieter 4th of July's near my house in East Sharp Park.

Chris Porter said...

You're right....sparklers!!! Linda Mar Blvd and the back of the valley were really bad.

Anonymous said...

4:32

You called the police about a dry lot?

Or was it on fire?

Anonymous said...

8:22

There was no fire at 1 am on the 4th according to the Pacifica fire department call log.

Anonymous said...

7:27 Try looking at 1:00 am on the 5th (the night of the 4th). The fire dept. was there. There are several witnesses.

Anonymous said...

7/5/2015 12:38:03 AM (15 min)
PIF151860001
FS72 North County Fire
Show icons for all incident types. Trash fire
CABRILLO HWY/LINDA MAR BLVD ,PCF
E72

You mean this call? Trash fire truck rolled out for 15 minutes means it was very minor. Not the Towering Inferno you were talking about.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of fire calls, does anyone know if the person driving the Chevy truck on highway one Saturday Morning July 11 made it out ok. Looks like they rolled the truck over a couple times between Manor and Skyline about 8:45 am.

Anonymous said...

6:02 you think you know what happened because you can read the fire dept. log. You don't. You're also putting words in my mouth which I never said. That makes you a jerk. I never described the fire as a Towering Inferno. I said it endangered homes and commercial property, which it did as it was next to the homes on the beach and at the back corner of the shopping center. It was the big cardboard tubes of an illegal fireworks display that were burning after the fireworks were set off.

Anonymous said...

What 11:37 said . . .

A group of people set off some sort of huge fireworks after midnight on the 4th that literally shook Pedro Point houses and turned the sky red. Apparently, the police were nearby and gave chase. Meanwhile, the canisters were left behind to smolder, causing a fire. The only reason the fire remained small is because a resident took her dog outside to do its business, saw the flames, and called the FD.

Given your apparent interest in downplaying the potential danger caused by a fire-work induced fire next to a weed infested, dry lot surrounded by houses and businesses, my guess is you are one of the people who like to make big BOOMS -- perhaps to compensate for other things in your personal life that are not so, um, quite so big.

Anonymous said...

"Trash fires are not a threat to person nor property."

...said the Commander of the Internet Firefighter's Brigade, Third Squadron.

Anonymous said...

Haha you Pedro Point nimbys think you know everything!

Nice anon posts "Yosemite" Sam!

Anonymous said...

It was not a trash fire. And my name is not Sam.

Anonymous said...

5:20

Fire department was only on scene for 15 minutes.

You need to meditate and relax!

Anonymous said...

"If a fire can be put out in 15 minutes, there's absolutely no danger to anyone"

...said the brilliant pretend firefighter.

Anonymous said...

8:24

Said the retired 30 year fire fighter.

Keep paying taxes so I can met my pension!

Anonymous said...

Towering inferno, smoldering trash or something in between, someone give that 12:13 doggie an extra treat.

todd bray said...

I wanted to find out what the cost was for all the extra hire police on the 4th... annually. I figured it was costing Pacifica more than the amount of money given to the various not for profits that sold our fireworks. My idea was to cancelle firework sales and give the not for profits the money we spent of extra hire police instead, since we are spending the money anyway. Everyone wins, except the extra hire police and the fireworks industry.

Chris Porter said...

Todd, I believe the fireworks company has to pay for the extra police and fire as they have to pay me for the debris boxes near the beach for cleanup on the 5th.

todd bray said...

Chris, I was told the fireworks company pays a lump sum that covers 15% of the extra hire. However I would still like to know the real numbers spent on extra hires. Does the city pay more for extra hires than the not for profits receive from firework sales? If the answer is yes then perhaps we can save a lot of trouble by having the city, us, just give the non profits the same amount of money they would have received. I'm sure your debri boxes will be as necessary as usual on the 5th. I just don't see the reason for extra hires if we don't encourage firework sales.

Anonymous said...

Ban all fireworks and write the non-profs a check! Doesn't that sound nice? It won't stop the illegal stuff and might even increase it. The idea that an outright ban would magically empower the PPD to control the situation is naive and dangerous. The solution is more cops, lots more, and Pacifica doesn't have them and never will. In the early part of this decade Pacifica brought in SMC Sheriff's deputies. Costly, but they were very effective. Those guys don't use the wink and a nod method of policing. Went right into the hot spots. I seem to remember the bill was around 65K and I think TNT paid part of it. A PPD Chief attending a fireworks task force meeting back then dismissed the sheriff's deputies as "goons". Never saw them again, but TNT did toss the PPD an ATV for beach patrolling. Worth about 14K. Screw the turf wars and the naivete and politicians selling our city cheap. Council should lean hard on TNT for serious enforcement funds. TNT has the dough. They are an American-based global company worth billions. Lobbyists in Sacto and DC to make sure their products aren't banned. Pay to play!

todd bray said...

Boy, 12:47 wins the Rantanon award this week.

Anonymous said...

I win?? Aw Toddster, you were real close, but your fireworks solution is slightly less silly than your take on city finances, "it's a payroll problem not a revenue problem". Wink and a nod.

Kathy Meeh said...

Todd, 1105 AM. I think your comments regarding our City fireworks are worth exploring.
Considering the potential fire danger, and the apparent lack of enforcement (view from south of town, Linda Mar/Sun Valley), maybe its time for for this City and our residents to evolve, and stop allowing fireworks period.
Is the annual exploding fireworks ritual worth the potential risk and hazards caused to ourselves, our pets, wild animals, and to the environment?

Anonymous said...

4:46 and 11:27 agree on something.

Details at 5, 6 and 11.

We have a life crew heading towards Pacifica, to cover this historic event.

Anonymous said...

804 Strange bedfellows. Good luck getting that image out of your head!

Anonymous said...

That's Pacifica! Even when the 2 extremes manage to agree they agree on the impossible. Sure, we can ban all fireworks but you'll never change the outlaw mentality we endure every July. Pacificans&friends like to blow shit up! PPD is already helpless so forget them enforcing a ban. San Mateo County sheriffs could stop it but who's going to pay for them? Hey, maybe we can sue someone? That's very Pacifica!

Anonymous said...

Put Loeb and Bohner on it.
They're very experienced at suing Pacificans.

My eyes are burning said...

10:15

My eyes, my eyes, my eyes!

Permit Police said...

11:15

The bad part about Loeb and his goons and Bohner is, even if they lose they will ask for legal fees. I notice one of this duo is doing very expensive renovations to his house? I wonder if he even bothered to get permits? I wonder if the Coastal Commission is aware of this in the coastal zone?