In reality, legal fireworks are set off well after the 10:00 p.m. curfew, and illegal fireworks abound in the city long before and after the July 4 holiday at any hour of the day or night. Aeriel fireworks soaring hundreds of feet high and capable of landing on dry rooftops are a common sight at night. Window rattling explosions that sound more like military ordinance than festive noisemakers continue unabated, making the city sound like a war zone. One has to wonder how these shockingly loud explosives can be set off from the same locations, sometimes night after night, without interruption by the authorities.
On the evening of July 4 a police dispatcher estimated the number of calls concerning illegal fireworks to the department on that day alone to be 200. Naturally, callers are asked for the address of residences where illegal fireworks are being ignited. Of course, it is difficult for callers to know exact addresses when explosions are heard or rockets launched blocks away.
Even a causal observer can attest to the fact that the problem of illegal fireworks has gotten worse since Fullerton allowed for the sale of the legal varieties two years ago, and the police department seems to be able to do little or nothing about the spread of dangerous pyrotechnics. Instead, the city’s strategy seems to be to bear with it while it lasts, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Fire department crews and volunteers stand by for possible fires in the hills, while firefighters can be found at quaint neighborhood block parties with their trucks available for inspection by residents.
The sale of legal fireworks has made the use of illegal ones easier, and emboldened those who profit by the sale of them. Dangerous rockets and explosives can easily be purchased in neighboring states, and Mexico, and transported back to Southern California. Are these the “illuminations” cited by City Council during the vote to place the legality measure on the ballot in 2012 (over the objections of the fire chief)? What is most startling is that, other than a web page dedicated to “fireworks sales and discharge,” city officials seem to have nothing public to say about the problem. If the City of Fullerton cares about the quality of life experienced by its residents, then it should either come up with a better strategy to protect people and property from illegal fireworks and their noise, or look closely at the downside of allowing the sale of the legal ones.
“that sound more like military ordinance than festive noisemakers continue unabated, making the city sound like a war zone”
Obviously the writer has never been exposed to either military ordinance or a real war zone if he/she thinks fireworks resembles that. I agree it’s gotten a little out of control, I stood on my balcony near downtown last night and watched little skyrockets flying through the air all around, and was hearing fire crackers going off still after 1-2 am. So yes, it’s annoying and possibly dangerous to some degree, but in no way similar to cannon fire or bombing or a war zone, don’t exaggerate for effect, that’s annoying and dangerous in a different way. Just grow up and realize that in a “free” society you’re not always going to get your way, it’s one day a year, stop whining and live with it.
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Spoken like a scuffles that’s popping off the illegal stuff?
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Uh, right…?
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Until someone loses their home and worldly possessions huh L Murray? Then we have to re think it. Typical reactive instead of proactive attitude to go with the “free society” and we fight back n forth until another house, (cause where I am in Fullerton is was a fucking war zone sound, period! Thing is most of these clowns don’t know what these will do, where they will go etc. and I watched as they made damn sure they pointed nowhere near their houses) or someone gets seriously hurt again. Should leave it to the ones who do it for a living and not drunk weekend warriors.
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The problem of illegal fireworks in Fullerton may have gotten worse this year but I believe is faulty to assume that it is due to firework sales being legalized. The kind of fireworks that you buy on the street in town are all legal. The illegal kind have always been an element around the 4th even before measure X was voted in legalizing fireworks for Fullerton. Another important thing to realize is the areas where 99%of them are being set off. If you watch the fireworks from the downtown parking structures you will notice that almost all of the sky rockets are being fired from the homes south of the tracks which are predominatly inhabited by Fullertons Hispanic district. The police don’t appear to have ever enforced fireworks of any kind here probably because its an important part of the hispanic culture to celebrate their holidays with fireworks .Even Chinese lanterns you can occasionaly slowly drifting up in a northerly with the onshore flow in the evening would seem dangerous to many of residents who don’t understand what it is. I believe that if the problem is illegal fireworks getting out of control , then the solution is enforcement…. not complete elimination as Fire Chief Knabe brought upon us for a great number of years. Yes, let the kids keep their sparklers, but crack down on the illegal M-80s by showing a bit more police presence in the neighborhoods who deal regularly use these kinds. Balance is the key for our fine disiguished town.
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There is little the city can say other than perhaps, where legal fireworks cannot be. Jan Flory was dead set against them even though the people had voted. We heard ramblings of how it affected her personally ie setting them off in the dam or too close HER home, how HER friend had polyester pants on (70’s, I think) and a “blooming flower” skipped up her friend’s pantleg, setting it on fire and melting the material to her leg. Then she wanted to have it where the sales would be assigned to one company. Luckily, that didn’t fly.
The people voted and that’s it. The city can’t reverse what was voted on because some are using illegal fireworks. I readily admit, it was worse this year. Perhaps FPD should step patrols in parking lots, particularly vacant ones, and alleys or open spaces where they can be set off with places for the ones doing it to hide and watch.
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No one is celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. These are idiots who like to play with things that go bang. We have three shivering dogs for days before and all night. There is NO purpose for this. There are plenty of firework displays that are actually entertaining around Orange County. I will sign any initiative that outlaws private fireworks.
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R Jones, did you live here and vote against private fireworks when the city had a chance to put them on the ballot a couple years ago? Either way, the vote was to allow it. You have two options: get it back on the ballot or spend the night with your dogs at a friend’s or relative’s. The city can’t simply elect to ban them.
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I don’t remember the measure being on the ballot but I certainly would have voted NO fireworks, like most civilized cities have. Look, it’s not just me that think this is a bad idea. Bad laws have been changed before and perhaps this one will too.
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Where were you in Nov 2012? That’s when the city of Fullerton voted to make them legal.
http://m.ocregister.com/articles/fireworks-377189-fullerton-safe.html
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Oh p-uh-lease, banning the legally-produced, commercially available fireworks won’t stop the renegade use of the fireworks that are imported illegally from Mexico and China. And don’t blame people of color, because I see white trash using illegal fireworks right outside the windows of my house. I’d like to see the fireworks ban re-instituted but as they say about guns, if you outlaw fireworks, only the outlaws will continue to use fireworks.
The police could act now if they had technological resources to track down these culprits, and if we had thousands of officers.
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I did not vote in favor of the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks in Fullerton. However, that being said, I wonder if the police department, fire department, or area hospital emergency rooms have found an increase in 4th of July crime, fires, and injuries related to fireworks since they were approved 2 1/2 years ago.
Since concerns about these side effects, haven’t been voiced by local law enforcement, fire marshals, or hospitals, I can only assume that major problems haven’t resulted from fireworks now sold at local stands.
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Yes the fireworks are out of hand. With over 200 calls in one night I don’t know what the Police can do about it. It get’s absolutely insane on my street. I could hide in the house with my dogs and let this ruin my day or I could go to the Vet and get some doggie tranquilizers so my dogs are sleeping through the mayhem. Then on the 4th I could get all pissed and let it ruin my day or I could drink some beers and go outside and enjoy the show. I chose the latter…it was a lot more fun!
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Jeff, is your last name tool?
It should be.
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Way to show all of Fullerton what a moron you are!
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as Jeff said, are out of control, but for the the most part everybody is being safe and sane even with the illegal fireworks, it is a very patriotic holiday in my neighborhood, we block off the street, everybody decorates their yards in red white and blue, all the EZ ups BBQ, games in the street, everybody dressed up in their patriotic colors all the neighbors visiting each other, it is a great holiday in my neighborhood, also we have a couple dogs and we just put them in the house and there fine, so in conclusion for all you like R Jones that think this city is not civilized, move to another that might suite you, and for everybody else hiding in there house calling about the big bangs they keep hearing for one night, why don’t you get outside with your neighbors and celebrate the very patriotic day that it is
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One holiday out of the year where you can celebrate and shoot off fireworks. Some people make it sound like its the worst thing in the world to do. I still can’t figure out why artillery shells and 500 gram cakes are illegal in California. Yes fireworks can be dangerous if misused but so is drinking alcohol.
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Mortars rule! Bottle rockets are the culprit for most fires and injuries from fireworks.
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The historic drought that we are in along with watering restrictions has left vegetation throughout the city bone dry. This should have been enough of a threat to public safety to justify an emergency ordinance banning all fireworks this past 4th of July weekend, regardless of the referendum permitting so-called “safe and sane” fireworks sales. We were fortunate to have dodged the bullet here in Fullerton, but our neighbors in other parts of the county were not. There were several damaging fires caused by fireworks here in Orange County and throughout the state.
If the drought conditions continue, I certainly hope that the City Council will have the good sense to suspend fireworks sales next year and until our Fire Department determines that fuel moisture levels in our brushy areas has returned to normal.
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If I recall, isn’t there already a stipulation on areas ie large acreage of dry brush that would and could be considered off-limits when this measure was voted in. I could be wrong on this. This doesn’t include dead lawns and gardens which many are replacing with succulents and drought-friendly landscaping.
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I am so tired of living in Fullerton, want to move someplace else. Seems Fullerton allows everything and everybody into this town, whether people want it or not. I used to live in Fullerton many years ago, I thought it was a very nice community. I moved away, then moved back here 6 years ago. These are the things that bother me about living here now. Legalized fireworks. Train tracks literally are all around me, noise, horns blowing all hours of the night, wake me up from a sound sleep. Fire trucks, ambulance sirens. Homeless population everywhere, outside of local establishments, parks, asking for money. Tattoo Parlors. Clubs, university, college, party atmosphere downtown Fullerton. Seems like Fullerton has no discretion any more about what, who, they allow in this city. It used to be such a great town, quaint, but now whatever brings in revenue, is allowed into this town.
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The entire southland has become a homeless ridden cesspool. It’s not just Fullerton it’s everywhere. Fullerton is an American city where anyone is free to come and go it’s not a private club with members where we can keep people out. Every city from here to LA is the same ad the quality o life sucks here. I just visited my brother in Idaho and it’s a whole different way of life. I didn’t hear one siren the four days I was there.
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Well good thing it’s a free country and if you don’t like living in Fullerton no one is making you stay here!
Furthermore I think the fireworks are the least of the city’s problems
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The city has made progress on illegal fireworks. It’s a lot quieter south of the tracks this year. It might have sompthing to do with with recent fullerton police crackdown.http://screenshot.net/dwv51s8.jpg
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I noticed an abrupt stop last night in one area on the south central side. Maybe they stopped it.
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A policeman went thru the bus terminal at 11:00 last night where people where setting off some some fireworks. He nicely stated that fireworks are over at 10PM and that he gets to go home when he sees no more fireworks so to help him out. I do think the police where a bit more active this year. Kanabe should be happy with one more eventless 4th. I’m just sorry for all those years he jipped us of our fireworks for what reason I don’t know. he’s like a dentist saying sorry you shouldn’t eat sugar anymore, its not good for you.
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That’s because they moved north of the tracks, same areas every night except last night.
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We live west of Gilbert and put up with the fallout of illegal fireworks almost all year long. Last night 7/4/16 from 4pm to at least 4am our neighborhood was more like spending the day in Fallujah then Fullerton. It was CRAZY. Even with the windows shut, AC on and TV volume way up my pets were besides themselves . After calling FPD non emergency line last year only to be treated in the rudest most unperfesional way imaginable I took to tweeting the FPD Twitter account. I had contact but it did not result in a patrol car driving through. I’m convinced the FPD and City government are convinced Fullerton ends at Brookhurst !
We have lived in Fullerton for 35 years. Personally I’ve seen the quality of life here in Fullerton decline by leaps and bounds. I can’t wait to retire, sell this overpriced track house and get the hell out of here. Good riddance!
FPD I know your busy seriously mishandling our cities homeless population issues and overreacting to what ever comes up at the hundreds of bars downtown after closing time. Or working as crossing guards every Sunday morning at Grace Ministries church on Brookhurst ( are taxpayers footing the bill for this) . Maybe , just maybe you can make an effort to serve the entire community not just the Downtown and Sunny hills. We west siders pay our property taxes to .
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