Fireworks ban effort fizzles

Published 6:00 am Saturday, September 23, 2006

Safe and sane fireworks will be allowed to continue illuminating the Oak Harbor skyline on future Fourths of July, the city council ruled Wednesday.

Soroptimist of Oak Harbor member Sally Jacobs denounced the ban at the meeting. While acknowledging safety concerns, she asserted that safe and sane fireworks need to be sold as fund-raisers.

“The money that we make stays in the community,” the woman said, adding that the local Soroptimist group made $8,600 in profits, all of which were used to benefit the community in the form of scholarships or other projects. “I understand your concerns. Everybody’s concern is that people will be safe, but we would like to continue selling fireworks.”

Oak Harbor resident Bob Brown said he understood the importance of generating funds, but questioned the logic of allowing the use of fireworks that cause injuries and property damage.

“I hate to think the destruction of a home is less valuable than a few dollars going into our local communities here,” Brown said. “I am definitely against any fireworks that endanger homes and property.”

Larry Eaton and Sheilah Crider were the two city council proponents of prohibiting fireworks in Oak Harbor. The ban would have exempted the annual display at Windjammer Park.

Eaton said the proposal was “literally against the red, white and blue.” Having said that, he sided with Brown.

“As Mr. Brown said, I just do not think that we have a right to allow that kind of endangerment to citizens and property within Oak Harbor,” he said.

Eaton said he was previously against the ban until he started to research and was floored by the statistics regarding fireworks accidents and injuries.

Crider agreed with Eaton, citing exhaustive data and stats that were ultimately ineffective in swaying the four dissenting council members.

Councilman Jim Campbell asked Oak Harbor Fire Department Chief Mark Soptich for city safety statistics from the last Fourth of July.

“There were not a significant amount of injuries or fire loss,” the chief said.

On the law enforcement side, Oak Harbor Police Chief Steve Almon reported 73 calls, 28 of which resulted in warnings and two or three citations. He said enforcing either the current ordinance or the proposed ban would be challenging, as the officers must witness the person physically lighting the firework to issue a citation.

Campbell said the real problem lies with the reservation fireworks and instead of a ban, enforcement should be emphasized.

“I think we need to do something a little bit different than this,” he said.

Councilman Eric Gerber urged his colleagues to examine the positive aspects of allowing fireworks, what he described as an enjoyable part of childhood.

“It’s a very happy time, it’s an important time for our country,” he said.

Council member Danny Paggao felt a complete ban of fireworks was un-American, and added that local safety statistics show people have been “quite responsible in setting off fireworks.”

“And I think it’s telling us also that we can depend on our police force and fire department in providing safety and quick response to our community,” Paggao said.