The Pasadena Fire and Police Departments remind all residents and visitors that the best way to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday with family and friends is by attending professional fireworks shows such as Americafest at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
The sale or possession of all fireworks is illegal in Pasadena. Violators are subject to confiscation and impound of vehicles; up to one year in jail and fines up to $50,000. Call Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 to report illegal fireworks.
Due to the high potential for fire hazards and injuries, Pasadena police and fire personnel will staff checkpoints around the Rose Bowl Stadium to seize all fireworks and arrest offenders.
In addition, the Pasadena Fire Department will begin applying Phos-Chek on Tuesday, June 25, to brush areas surrounding the Rose Bowl Stadium. The main ingredients of this annual, preventative application of fire retardant are phosphates and fertilizers that help prevent trees and grasslands from burning and to re-vegetate any burned wild land areas.
“The risks with fireworks are not limited to their use,” Pasadena Fire Chief Calvin E. Wells said. “Fire and injury risks also exist wherever fireworks are stored, transported or sold.”
Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez urged everyone to make safety a priority on July 4th.
“Safety is a partnership between the City and our community. The City’s Police, Fire and Public Works departments are joining together to increase awareness about the prohibition of fireworks in the city to help lower the risk of fires and injuries,” Chief Sanchez said. “On July 4th, a Fireworks Task Force will patrol the streets to confiscate fireworks and take appropriate action. We need your help, so remember, if you see something, say something.”
Parking enforcement officers will ensure that vehicles illegally parked in Pasadena’s hillside areas on July 4 are impounded. Pasadena public safety officials stressed that the enforcement operations are to prevent accidents, fires and injuries.
“Even sparklers, which many people consider safe, can reach 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, causing serious burns and starting fires,” Wells added. “Adults normally don’t allow their children to get near anything that hot, but for some reason they think it’s acceptable to put sparklers in the hands of little ones on the Fourth of July.”
Statistics show fireworks are among the most risky of consumer products. Nearly 10,000 fireworks-related injuries are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms every year and two of five people injured by fireworks are under 15 years old. The most current statistics from the National Fire Protection Association show that in 2009 more than nine out of 10, or 92 percent, of all fireworks-related injuries treated in hospitals were caused by fireworks that are allowed for consumer use by federal or state regulations.
For more information about fireworks safety and enforcement, call the Pasadena Fire Department at (626) 744-7276. For information about the Americafest Fourth of July celebration, visit www.rosebowlstadium.com or call (626) 577-3101.