Bulletin E-Edition:
more photosCraig Johnson, 55 and from Bend, shops for fireworks for his grandkids at the Faith Christian Center fireworks tent in the Fred Meyer parking lot in south Bend.
Pete Erickson / The Bulletin
Ready for a fun Fourth?
Enforcing the rules in Bend: Fire, police officials on patrol
By Inka Bajandas / The Bulletin
Published: July 01. 2009 4:00AM PSTA combined task force from the Bend fire and police departments assigned to patrol strictly for illegal fireworks use on the Fourth of July was so successful last year, the departments will be joining forces again this year.
Bend Fire Department Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering said task force members last year confiscated 245 illegal fireworks — which included everything from bottle rockets to M-80s, worth a total value of $500 — in just a few hours of patrolling.
“It was very effective,” she said.
Along with patrolling, police officers and firefighters also will be relying on the public to report any activity involving illegal fireworks, Kettering said. She encourages residents to call the Bend Fire Department’s nonemergency dispatch line at 541-693-6911 to report illegal fireworks.
Illegal fireworks are any fireworks that fly, explode, eject balls of fire, come off the ground more than 12 inches or move across the ground more than 6 feet.
People caught with illegal fireworks will have the fireworks confiscated and could face a citation that comes with a fine of $1,113. They can also be held liable for any fire damages caused by the misuse of fireworks.
Last year, the task force issued three citations on the Fourth of July, according to The Bulletin’s archives.
The Bend Fire Department won’t be the only fire agency in the region patrolling for illegal fireworks use. Jefferson County Fire District #1 will also have local patrols primarily in the evening hours, said Fire Marshal Tom Jaca, but that’s not the primary way the district discourages illegal fireworks use, he said.
“Our biggest campaign is getting publications out,” he said. “Just heighten the awareness.”
Fire officials in Redmond and Crook County could not be reached for comment about their efforts.
The Jefferson County Fire District distributes publications at locations where legal fireworks are sold to educate the public about illegal fireworks, Jaca said.
Kettering also hopes the Bend Fire Department’s message about illegal fireworks gets out.
“We’re always hopeful that people have received the message that we’ve been sending out, which is not to use illegal fireworks,” Kettering said.
Even though they’re hopeful that illegal fireworks use will be down this year, she said, “We’re prepared to do what we need to do.”
Inka Bajandas can be reached at 541-617-7818 or at ibajandas@bendbulletin.com.
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