HomeMy WebLinkAbout1763 ResolutionRESOLUTION NO. 1763
A RESOLUTION of the Pasco City Council requesting that the
appropriate legislative or administrative action
be taken to further restrict the sale and
possession of certain fireworks within the State
of Washington.
WHEREAS, A large number of fireworks-related fires occur
each year in the Benton-Franklin-Walla Walla Counties Area,
resulting in thousands of dollars of property loss. In addition,
thousands of tax dollars are being spent for fire department
operations in combatting these fires; and
WHEREAS, The tremendous number of fireworks-related fires
is a serious situation and needs to be addressed. Local area
fire departments in the Tr-County area entered, cooperatively,
into a study of fireworks fires for the five (5) year period of
1981-1985; and
WHEREAS, The following four (4) basic conclusions were
derived from that study:
1. Liberalization of the State Fire Works Law has had a
direct negative impact on the number of fires, from 1981-1985.
Fires have increased by 215%.
2. Juveniles (under 16) account for approximately 47% of
known fires, adults 9%.
3. Fireworks, which are now legal, account for 65% of the
fires. These include all fireworks devices classified as "C",
but excludes firecrackers, bottle rockets and missile-types.
4. Fireworks, which are considered unpredictable or
uncontrollable by the user, account for 63% of the fires. This
includes jumping jacks, ground spinners, helicopter-types and
similar devices; and
WHEREAS, Based on the analysis of the information
gathered, the Tr-County Fireworks Committee developed two (2)
possible options which they felt would provide reasonable
solutions to the problems:
RESOLUTION - PAGE 1
PASSED This 15th day of December, 1986 by the City Council
approved by the Mayor.
Ale-N ayor
AT E T:
-4/4n46P--,-//
EVELYN ELLS, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
TELLO, City Attorney
1. Restrict the age of purchase, possession and use to
16-years of age, and also prohibit certain firework devices.
2. Expand the list of prohibited firework devices to
include those devices that have been determined to be a major
problem either by their nature or by use by unsupervised
juveniles; and
WHEREAS, The jurisdictions in the Tr-County Area cannot
successfully addressed the fireworks-related problems or
implement the above actions unless such options are adopted
state-wide, NOW, THEREFORE,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO, WASHINGTON DO
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
1. The appropriate legislative and/or administrative
action by the State Director of Community Development and the
State Director of Fire Protection, should be taken to implement
one or more of the above options or other similar options to
reduce the extent of fireworks-related property damage and
injury.
2. A copy of this Resolution shall be sent by the City
Clerk to the Governor of the State of Washington, the State
Director of Community Development, the State Director of Fire
Protection, and to the legislative leadership of both major
political parties.
3. The Mayor is hereby authorized to sign this
Resolution.
RESOLUTION - PAGE 2