Cerritos : Council to Review Its ‘Safe and Sane’ Fireworks Policy

Fireworks are on the agenda tonight for the Cerritos City Council, which is scheduled to discuss its “safe and sane” policy for sale and use of the Fourth of July delights.

The council decided to take a look at its policy after a home caught fire this year when a holiday rocket sent embers onto the wood roof, causing a fire that did $100,000 worth of damage, said Kurt C. Swanson, director of human affairs.

Cerritos allows various service organizations such as the Optimist Club, Little League, high school booster clubs and the Veterans of Foreign Wars to sell fireworks. Swanson said he does not believe the council is thinking about banning fireworks but, rather, wants to assess their impact on the city.

During the past six years, according to a report prepared by Swanson and his staff, property loss in the city due to fireworks-related fires totaled $187,000. There have been no injuries attributed to fireworks in recent years. The report also says that the greatest impact if the novelties are banned would be to the service organizations that depend on the once-a-year revenue.