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Tuesday, 30 June 2009 |
 Amador County – Fireworks have always been both a 4th of July tradition and a bane for fire departments everywhere. Sunday marked day one of a week long “Safe and Sane” fireworks campaign throughout the region. Only legal fireworks marked safe and sane and are approved by the state fire marshal. “Fireworks are very dangerous and a threat to property and lives in the dry county areas,” said Jim McCart, Chief of the Amador Fire Protection District. He said most fireworks are banned in all unincorporated areas of Amador County and most cities, including Ione and Jackson. While yearly efforts are made to ban fireworks altogether, non-profit charities that depend on fireworks sales have always voiced their protest. With the economy in such bad shape, charities are depending on these profits more than ever. Paul Molinelli, Jr., a member of the Jackson Lions Club, says his organization has been using money for many years to fund college scholarships for local youth. Amador County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Drew Stidger, who is in charge of fireworks funding for the Jackson Lions, said the initial funds go towards the free fireworks show every July 3 at Jackson Junior High School. The remaining funds will go to scholarships. Rural cities often have strict regulations that go along with the sale of fireworks. The City of Jackson requires that any charity selling fireworks is required to have a fireworks show. One Ione fire volunteer said he believes fireworks make jobs like his more difficult, but he can’t deny that the funds generated are vitally important for charities in a strapped economy. Fire departments throughout Amador County are now stepping up there efforts to prepare for the worst of California’s fire season. State fire officials said this year they see an added danger from fireworks, given the number of vacant, foreclosed homes with dry, overgrown yards throughout some communities in the state. “We have many houses that are vacant now. If a bottle rocket, for example, were to land in the dry weeds in the backyard of a home that no one lives in right now, a fire could start and get out of control before anyone would report it,” said Tonya Hoover, Assistant California State Fire Marshal. Story by Alex Lane
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 June 2009 )
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