Travis County Commissioners Court
June 27, 2006
Item 4
4. Consider and take appropriate action on request to lift the order restricting certain fireworks due to drought conditions. I thought we should take this up formally, just to announce it more than anything else, because we did get a couple or three phone calls.
>> good morning, pete baldwin, emergency services coordinator.
>> good morning, pete.
>> good morning.
>> on June 13th, the court passed an order restricting the sale and use of certain aerial fireworks. Those were included stick rockets and missiles with finsment within that order it -- with fins. Within that order it basically said this order is in place until the drought no longer exists. We were notified last week by the Texas forest service, under our use of the drought index that Travis County was not under drought conditions, using the drought index and will not be even on July 4th. So therefore the order has actually gone away on its own. But we wanted to make it -- make a public announcement, we have made arrangements to as soon as we make this presentation to the court to explain that, that notification will go out to all of the fireworks companies and everybody else involved saying that we are no longer under that order restricting the sale and use of those aerial fireworks.
>> that includes the -- the missiles with fins and the rockets?
>> those are the only two items, Commissioner, that we -- those are back on the shelves.
>> okay. All right.
>> I want to make sure that -- that people know exactly --
>> right.
>> what's going on here.
>> I will have an order later today? Lifting the --
>> if you would like one, judge, I can prepare one, sure. I think that this -- this according to this statute, the -- the restriction expires upon a determination by the forest service that drought conditions no longer exist. So it -- it really technically expires by operation of law without any action by the court. But I know that the court has in the past chosen to -- to take some formal action to acknowledge or recognize that the -- that the order has -- has expired or been lifted and I can prepare an order for you if you would like.
>> I would like.
>> I would have it to you by noon.
>> move that we lift it formally.
>> thank you.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> yes, sir?
>> judge. Shimon, Travis County fire marshal. If I could say a few words about the use of fireworks this season for the citizens of Travis County. Reminder each fourth of July, thousands of people, most often children and teens are injured while using fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risk. Every year 10,000 people have to go to the emergency rooms because of firework injuries. Also, in 2003, the last year for which national fireworks related fire statistics are available, fire departments responded to the estimated 2300 structure and vehicle fires. Started by fireworks. Each year most fireworks related fires begin with outdoor brush and refuse. But most of the loss occurs in fires with structures involved. Just wanted to remind everyone that the allow use to shoot fireworks in Travis County on their own property or property they have approval to be on, also to use common sense to make sure that adults supervise the children when using fireworks, to have some type of water supply available in case the inevitable happens. I ask everybody in Travis County to please be safe and use a little common sense this season, we appreciate that.
>> thank you very much.
>> thank you.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 11:13 AM