BUENA PARK : No More Warnings on Illegal Fireworks

In the past, the Buena Park Fire Department concentrated on educating the public not to shoot off bottle rockets, firecrackers and other illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July.

When firefighters and police officers spotted someone lighting illegal fireworks, offenders typically got a warning and had their fireworks confiscated.

“This year, we’re going to issue no warnings and write all citations,” Fire Marshal Donald Tully said. The policy is the culmination of an education campaign against illegal fireworks that began three years ago.

“The first year, we gave (most) people the benefit of the doubt: ‘OK, you didn’t know it was illegal,’ ” Tully said. “This year, the direction will be, ‘If you don’t know, too bad. You should’ve known.’ ”

Citations will require an appearance before a judge, who has the authority to levy fines on people found guilty of using illegal fireworks. Although the judge has wide discretion in setting fines, Tully said, amounts typically run about $100.

Six two-man teams of firefighters and police officers will patrol the streets of Buena Park beginning at 6 p.m. on July 4, focusing on finding illegal fireworks, he said.

Two years ago, patrol teams issued about six citations for illegal fireworks use, Tully said. Last year, joint police-fire teams wrote 22 citations and gave five warnings. This year, probably no one found with illegal fireworks will escape without a ticket, he said.

“Hopefully, people have gotten the word and we won’t have that problem,” Tully said. “But we’ll see how it goes.”