BFD prepares for illegal firework calls

KNOWS THAT ILLEGAL ACTIVITYDOES NOT TAKE A HOLIDAY--ANDESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THFOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY--THEY'REALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FORFIREWORK USAGE THAT IS AGAINSTTHE LAW."WE HAVE TO BEEF UP ENFORCEMENTEVERYEAR, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE ANINCREASING ISSUE EVERY YEAR."WORKING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENTCAN BE VERY UNPREDICTABLE--BUT ONE THING BAKERSFIELD FIREDEPARTMENT FIRE CHIEF ANTHONYGALAGEZA SAYS THEY ANTICIPATEEVERY FOURTH OF JULY.PEOPLE USING ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.LAST YEAR, ACCORDINGTO BFD, THEY RECEIVED ABOUT 1800CALLS RELATED TOILLEGAL FIREWWORKS BETWEEN JULY1-5."THEY GO INTO THE AIR, AND THEYEXPLODE, AND JUST LIKEGROUNDBLOOMS, PEOPLE WOULDN'TUNDERSTAND,PICCOLO PETES AND TEN INCHSPARKLERS, THOSE ARE DANGEROUSAS WELL.THERE'S OTHERS THAT SHOOT IN THEAIR.

WE JUST THINK OF THE LARGEONES THAT GOOFF IN THE DISTANCE.

IT'S NOTJUST THOSE."BATTALION CHIEF IN CHARGE OFBFD'S FIRE INVESTIGATIONSDIVISION, JIMMY CHERRY SAYS BFDFIRE INVESTIGATORSAND OFFICERS FROM THEBAKERSFIELD POLICEDEPARTMENT GET DISPATCHEDTOGETHER.

THEY'LL SUIT UP INTHESE TACTICAL VESTS AND RELY ONTHEIR FIRE INVESTIGATORTRAINING TO KEEP THEM SAFE WHENSEARCHING ILLEGALFIREWORK"WITH THE CITIZENS OFBAKERSFIELD'S HELP,IF THEY CAN GIVE US A DEFINITIVEADDRESS, WE CAN ACTUALLY LOCATEPEOPLE WECAN LOCATE THEM EITHER FIRINGOFF ILLEGAL FIREWORKS, OR WE CANSEE THESPENT FIREWORKS OR TUBES OREMPTY ROMAN CANDLE TUBES SO WEHAVE EVIDENCETO WRITE THE ADMINISTRATIVECITATION.AND GALAGAZA SAYS THATADMINISTRATIVE CITATION CAN BEUP TO $1000.BUT ACCORDING TO GALAGAZA, AMONETARY FINE IS NOT THE WORSTTHING THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN USINGILLEGAL FIREWORKS."SAFE AND SANE IS THE ONLY WAYTO GOBECAUSE EVERY YEAR, YOURBAKERSFIELD FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TOGO INTO THESESITUATIONS WHERE THEY TURN OUTFROM ILLEGAL FIREWORKS TO BURNINJURIES TOCHILDREN, AND THAT'SUNACCEPTABLE.

AND I KNOW NO ONEWANT THAT TO HAPPEN TOTHEIR FAMILIES, BUT IT DOESEVERY YEARAND WE'LL GIVE YOU CAN UPDATE ONTHE FINAL COUNT OF ILLEGFIREWORK CALLS ON THE FOURTH OFJULY WEEKEND AS SOON ASINFORMATION COMES INTO OURNEWSROOM.

IN BAKERSFIELD,KRISTIN VARTAN 23ABC NEWSCONNECTING YOU.DUE TO THE HOLIDAYS .... ALLCITY OFFICES ARE CLOSED