Travis County Commissioners Court
June 24, 2008
Item 4
4. Consider and take appropriate action on an order prohibiting outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Travis County.
>> we do have an outdoor burn ban in effect at this time.
>> good morning, pete baldwin, Travis County emergency management coordinator. Our recommendation, of course, is not to take any action at this point in time. We had a little bit of a relief Saturday, some people got a little bit of rain. It was more of an uplifting factor than it was a beneficial rain. So our recommendation is that we take no action and leave it in place. Then I'm going to defer to the fire marshal to discuss the developments that we've had with the Texas pyrotechnicians association.
>> good morning Commissioners, brad beecham, Travis County fire marshal's office. Mr. Hobby and I attended a press conference yesterday. It appears that the Texas pyrotechnic association is going to go forward with the discussions had with the judge and that the outdoor -- the season for floor works, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th of July, just those four days, not starting on the 24th today as they statutorially could. The industry is going to pull the two devices that the counties could have had pulled if we had met criteria. They have also elected to pull additional items, the small items with wings and fins and I think the largest thing is that -- is the shorter selling season. So that's -- that's where we're at today. Press conference went very well. The word is getting out. We certainly feel that a lot of telephone calls in our office yesterday -- fielded a lot of telephone calls yesterday as did mr. Baldwin. We applaud the industry for wanting to take this voluntary move and this started off with mr. Baldwin saying why don't you contact them and see if they will voluntarily pull them since we are not going to quite make criteria. I certainly appreciate his wisdom on that. It is a good word and we are excited that they have done this action.
>> was that just for that particular change in the purchase of these particular fireworks, is that just for Travis County or is it -- is it a regional prohibition? From purchasing --
>> Commissioner, much -- I'm pleased to report to you that the work started here is our understanding, it did go into other counties that Williamson and hays are also included. Comal was in the press release, but that appeared to be in error. I hate to speak for another county but that's my impression, but it is up and down the i-35 corridor, also bastrop county is included.
>> okay. So --
>> what I had received word, Commissioner, from the pyrotechnics industry is if any county contacted them they were willing to do that also in any other county that asked.
>> the reason why I asked was because, you know, if it's prohibited in Travis County, a person across the county line could --
>> there were certainly those dialogues Commissioners. We talked about that, if it's just one county, then people are just going to go purchase them in the next county and bring them back to our county.
>> exactly.
>> yes, sir.
>> now there's a telephone number again that I would encourage you to air.
>> yes, sir. The main number for the Travis County fire marshal's office is 854-4621. 854-4621 if the citizens have any questions.
>> so instead of 11 days it will be four days.
>> that's correct, judge.
>> they are pulling the -- the sort of flying fireworks.
>> yes, sir.
>> as we talked about it last week, the mortars that remain on the ground, those are looked upon as ground devices, but the -- but the -- what we all thought about in our years ago being bottle rockets, those have been outlawed in the state of Texas for several years. They have made that device larger with a longer stick, allegedly to get a pyre, that is the stick rocket that is in question. Those are being voluntarily pulled along with missiles that have fins. Those are the two items that could be restricted by counties, local government code.
>> okay.
>> was it accurate in a mr. Chester Davis independently came forward and voluntarily did this? I mean, is he one of many? I know that chester is the one that comes that we know the most here --
>> mr. Davis we had that discussion with mr. Davis. He took it upon himself to do a conference call with the rest of the manufacturers or sellers and then we had a meeting with the judge Friday afternoon to explain what they had done in that conference call. So, yes, it was a voluntary thing and mr. Davis did pretty much lead the charge on getting the rest of the sellers on board.
>> I know that my office has sent him a thank you for that. I mean, sometimes those guys get beat up quite a bit. Some people would like to do away with fireworks altogether. But given the fact that we really can't do that, I appreciate mr. Davis' initiation of doing that independent of -- of anybody making them do it. So --
>> yes, sir, Commissioner. If I may add, he is the president of the Texas pyrotechnic association, so I believe he took it under those auspices.
>> good, thanks to him.
>> thank you very much.
>> thank you all.
>> you all are here with number 5, right? Whatever problem there is with the proclamation we can straighten that out before we sign it. We need alicia to read it, though, I guess.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 1:51 PM