Political Gumbo: Enough With the Fireworks

No Council meeting last night and no complaints from me.

I was definitely ready for a break this time.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t stuff to talk about.

Somebody explain this one to me.

What’s with grown ass adults and illegal fireworks?

On Monday, the cops had to use the bomb squad to render a bunch of fireworks safe in an apartment in Azusa.

I’m pretty sure that’s not what city officials there had in mind when they coined the backronym, everything from A to Z in the USA.

Get it AZUSA.

Back on point, residents in the neighborhood had to evacuate their homes while the bomb squad spent hours removing thousands of pounds of homemade fireworks and other dangerous explosives from a residence.

A man at the residence was detained for questioning.

In total there were 1,700 pounds of homemade and commercial fireworks in the home.

Not a wise choice in nearly 100 degree heat.

And it’s not just Azusa or other cities.

Pasadena sounds like a war zone leading up to and after Independence Day, with the sounds of fireworks erupting across the city.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, an estimated 19,500 fires started by fireworks were reported to local U.S. fire departments in 2018. These fires caused five civilian deaths, 46 civilian injuries, and $105 million in direct property damage.

Last year kids playing with fireworks resulted in the destruction of a family home on Summit Avenue.

The City maintains a zero tolerance enforcement policy for fireworks and Pasadena’s police and firefighters are teaming up for special fireworks enforcement patrols before and during the Fourth of July holiday. Any person who violates the ordinance or any state law regarding fireworks is subject to arrest, having their vehicles impounded, serving up to one year in county jail and being fined up to $50,000.

The City of Pasadena municipal code holds property owners and tenants responsible for permitting the possession, sale, usage or discharge of fireworks on their property.

The ordinance allows the prosecution of fireworks-related offenses and the demand of payment for all costs associated with the safe disposal of confiscated fireworks.

Locally, you can celebrate the “rockets red glare” at the Rose Bowl during AmericaFest which puts on a pretty good fireworks show.

Or you can go to a host of places in the city and watch if you don’t want to endure the crowd.

Either way, you don’t need to light any fuses yourself.

Enough with the fireworks.