Bonney Lake firework debate | Week 1

Courier-Herald staff reporter Ray Still has organized an in-paper debate on the question of whether Bonney Lake should or should not ban fireworks. The three debate participants are Justin Evans and David Baus, Bonney Lake residents running for Council Position No. 2, and Karen Gower, public relations district director with TNT Fireworks.

Editor’s note: Each year since the early 2000s, the issue of banning fireworks inside the Bonney Lake city limits has come before the City Council. This year the unusually dry weather and increased danger of brush and wildfires has raised the discussion to more than just a spark and fizzle. A town hall meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Justice and Municipal Building, where residents will have the opportunity to discuss whether or not the city should enact a fireworks ban. Courier-Herald staff reporter Ray Still has organized an in-paper debate on the question of whether Bonney Lake should or should not ban fireworks. The three debate participants are Justin Evans and David Baus, Bonney Lake residents running for Council Position No. 2, and Karen Gower, public relations district director with TNT Fireworks. For this issue, Evans, Baus and Gower will start with their opening statements and answer why Bonney Lake should or should not enact a firework ban. Each participant will rebut statements in the Sept. 16 issue. The final debate will be published in the Sept. 23 issue. The Courier-Herald encourages our readers to participate in this debate by sending questions and comments to Ray Still, rstill@courierherald.com. Questions and comments may also be posted to the debates online.

PRO-BAN

Justin Evans

I believe that the city along with surrounding cities should enact a total personal use fireworks ban. It is an issue of not only community safety within dryer seasons, but also personal safety. The Consumer Product Safety Commission states: “CPSC estimates that in 2014, about 10,500 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireworks. Sixty-seven percent of these estimated injuries occurred in a one-month special study period (June 20, 2014 – July 20, 2014). During the 2014 special study, more than half of the fireworks related injuries were burns. Most of the injuries involved hands and fingers, the head (including face, eyes, and ears), legs and arms. Children under the age of 15 years old accounted for 35 percent of the estimated injuries.”

If those facts aren’t reason enough, I don’t know what is. As for personal freedom, never should that include the freedom to light off explosives and other incendiary devices regardless of a day on the calendar. I know TNT has a very lengthy page on their website dedicated to the safe usage of their product including following local laws and rules and I commend them on that, they have done a great job to make sure that the safe usage of their product is available. I do believe however if that you need to have a lengthy page dedicated to the safe use of any product and notations to follow local laws and rules, then one should question if that product is safe in the first place.

A total personal use ban would make for difficulty in enforcement without doubt. It would put a burden on our law enforcement officers and would likely require an increase in patrols during the high usage times, but overall would help prevent increased calls of our other services, fire and medical aid as well as help reduce admittance to our local hospitals with injuries that are 100 percent preventable. It would work in time. The city of Sammamish started a total ban in 2006. I have spoken with the fire commissioner and he stated that the city has continued to see emergency calls related to fireworks decrease year after year.

Being honest about the possibilities of a ban, there are some negative effects to a total ban as well. This involves the fundraising efforts of some local firework stands and local schools and church groups who take a percentage of the profit of sales on the stands they run. That is an unfortunate consequence of a ban, but other cities who have enacted a similar ban have found alternate ways to raise the funds necessary to ensure their group financing goals are still met.

The reality is that there will always be those who still decide to break the law as it already exists within the city limits. It’s the need to continually decrease those calls year after year to provide a safer community for our neighbors and in the long run, lessen the burden of our local services (fire, police, aide) so they can respond to other emergencies that may not be as easily preventable as fireworks are. Going back to my city of Sammamish example, they have enacted a fine “…the fireworks ordinance (No. 02005-176) does contain penalties: $500 for possession, and $1,000 for discharge.”

I do believe that a ban of personal fireworks would require some action on the part of our city to provide an alternate event to celebrate, be it a firework display over Lake Tapps, or at the football field. The city of Federal Way puts on a great show each year at Celebration Park and it’s a huge success and just grows more each year with great community involvement.

I know the opposition is going to state that bans in cities have not been effective and that the removal of the “safe and sane” fireworks will then lead to more illegal fireworks. I’ve read all the other City Council minutes and it’s just difficult to believe that, coming from someone who’s not a resident of the community and whose employment comes directly from the sales of such fireworks.

Justin Evans has lived in Bonney Lake four years. Evans works in the manufacturing industry and is currently running for Bonney Lake City Council Position 2.

ANTI-BAN

Karen Gower

What is best for the people of Bonney Lake? There is a way to increase community safety and preserve personal freedom and it happens without banning legal fireworks. As long as there are reservations nearby and bootleg fireworks, there will be illegal fireworks readily available – some of those include firecrackers, pink-sticked rockets, M-80s, etc. They are brought back into Bonney Lake (the loud booms and sticks you find in your yard and on the roof). This is true with or without a ban (true in all cities).

The local nonprofit stands can only sell the state-approved, Consumer Product Safety Commission approved fireworks. If Bonney Lake maintains the current ordinance and commits to enforce and educate the people as to legal hours and educate people on the items that are not legal already for use in the city it could make a huge difference. Then the local families can continue enjoying their legal fireworks — a valued tradition with their families and cherished neighborhood block parties. Police could focus on, enforce and cite the people who shoot fireworks out of legal time frame and shoot illegal fireworks purchased at the reservations and brought home. Punish the law breakers not the families celebrating in a safe and sane manner. Don’t let the minority ruin it for all of the rest.

Some might think that a ban would solve all the problems but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Just to name a couple, the year before Lacey banned consumer fireworks they had six fires, the next year with a ban they had 15, then six, then 33 fires with a ban. Tacoma has a ban and it is like a war zone there. Their newspaper reported this year 45 fires in spite of a total ban. The typical prohibition mentality takes over.

It is a fact that if people cannot buy legal, state-approved, Consumer Product Safety Commission approved fireworks from local nonprofit stands inspected and monitored by the fire department, they will purchase fireworks from nearby reservations and bootleggers. They will bring back much more dangerous, fire-causing and annoying fireworks and explosives that you do not want in your community.

Slow the flood of already illegal fireworks into Bonney Lake and keep legal fireworks legal – the safer option for Bonney Lake.

Karen Gower has worked with non-profit organizations that sell legal state-approved consumer fireworks for 45 years. She is also on the Fireworks Technical Advisory Group with the state fire marshal and other fire officials across the state who meet frequently for safety and education.

ANTI-BAN

David Baus

Bonney Lake should not enact a ban. The Fourth of July is a national holiday to celebrate our hard fought freedom and fireworks are an integral part of the celebration. Patriotism is a major part of our lives and should remain. Fireworks are not inherently dangerous if proper supervision and education are supplied. My 9-year-old daughter is aware of the safety issues and responsibilities when she lights fireworks.

This helps bring the community together; families, neighbors, neighborhoods as a celebration of their patriotism, strength and solidarity.

Should Bonney Lake choose a complete ban it would be ineffective. We have limited law enforcement to assign to this task and simply do not have the capacity to enforce the bans. Law enforcement already has the right and ability to issue fines and citations if legal fireworks are set off during banned times (typically the days prior and after the holiday).

A complete ban would also create a situation where less legal, “safe” fireworks would be purchased and would result in more residents purchasing potentially less safe/dangerous items from surrounding reservations.

Heftier police fines would be a deterrent; we need law enforcement to take a more active approach in policing firework use during prohibited/banned times.

Additionally, legal fireworks stands have a long history of supporting non-profit organizations and youth programs. In a “tight budget” atmosphere, the inability to sell legal fireworks would negatively impact many.

Dave Baus is currently the president of his homeowners association and is running for Bonney Lake City Council Position No. 2.