Pocatello holds town hall on fireworks

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Pocatello city officials held a town hall meeting Wednesday evening to discuss Fourth of July fireworks. They wanted to advise the public that areas of the city where fireworks of any kind are allowed are smaller than last year. This map shows where fireworks are not permitted.

People in Pocatello were also reminded of regulations regarding fireworks within city limits.

"Anything that says 'explosion' on the firework itself — they will talk about leaving the ground — those are illegal fireworks," says Dean Bullock, Assistant Fire Chief of the Pocatello Fire Department.

Jeb Harrison is a local firework shop owner and attended the meeting to express frustration with illegal fireworks being sold.

"We do things the right way. We do things the legal way..." said Harrison. "It's very frustrating for me when I see people go up the road 15 minutes, and they come back with aerials, roman candles, bottle rockets, firecrackers, all of which are illegal. I provide a safe legal product at a very fair price. If I could sell those kinds of products, I'd make ten times the money."

Another Pocatello resident spoke up about neighbors who fire aerials above her home.

"We literally sit on our patio, and it showers into our backyard, on our patio," she said. "They shoot 'em across the street. It's unbelievable."

Safety tips

City officials requested the help of locals in ensuring the Fourth of July is safe for everyone in the community. They encourage people to report illegal fireworks to the police if they see them.

The city of Pocatello provided these tips for firework management and safety:

• Light all fireworks outside in a clear open area away from structures and flammable materials
• Have a water source available
• Never allow children to light fireworks
• Don't try to relight malfunctioning fireworks
• Allow adequate time for fireworks to cool down before disposing of them
• Never store fireworks inside your home
• Fireworks should be kept away from children and pets
• Pets and fireworks don't mix — Keep pets safe and secure so they can't run away
• Never throw or shoot fireworks at another person

Pocatello has a greater chance of wildfires than 98% of other communities in the United States. In the wake of other local fires, city and county officials are focused on fire prevention and management and ask the same of the citizens of Pocatello.