The State - News from July 4, 1986

Most fire departments discourage Fourth of July fireworks as fire hazards, but volunteer firefighters in the Fresno County community of Laton are raising money by selling fireworks at their station--to the chagrin of colleagues elsewhere. “I don’t think we should be in the business of playing with fire,” said Walt Prather, battalion chief for nearby Midvalley Fire District. “It’s not the type of message that we’re trying to put out.” But Tom Moore, president of volunteer firefighters in Laton, responded that there have been no fireworks-caused fires in Laton in at least five years.