Pico Rivera : 15 Organizations Awarded Permits to Sell Fireworks

The City Council has unanimously authorized 15 community organizations to sell fireworks for Fourth of July celebrations, despite warnings from the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Council members awarded concession permits Monday to various groups including the Boy Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Lions, Optimists, Kiwanis, Pony Tail, Dad’s and Pony Colt clubs. The organizations will be allowed to sell fireworks from noon June 28 until midnight July 4.

“Fireworks are the biggest fund-raisers for these organizations,” City Manager Dennis Courtemarche said. Although Courtemarche is unsure how much the groups earn annually from fireworks sales, the city’s profits from fireworks sales tax is “negligible,” he said. More cities in Los Angeles County outlaw fireworks every year and county Fire Department officials, which service Pico Rivera, prohibit them in the county’s unincorporated areas, Courtemarche said.

“We get some pressure from the Fire Department to do away with them,” he said, “but we get no pressure from local groups. Until the public wants a change, it probably won’t happen.”