Fireworks

Recorded 05/27/29

All fireworks are illegal in the City of Oxnard.

Oxnard Police Department Community Affairs Manager Paul Carganilla sits down with a panel of City of Oxnard supervisors to talk about the City's efforts regarding fireworks in Oxnard. The panel includes:
Oxnard Police Sergeant Mike Kohr
Oxnard Fire Captain Blair Martin
Oxnard Code Compliance Manager Andrew Dickson
Oxnard Animal Safety Supervisor Fermin Hernandez

Oxnard fireworks users can be fined up to $2,000 per citation - and also face misdemeanor criminal charges.

To report illegal fireworks activity anonymously:
FIREWORKS HOTLINE: (805) 394-5884
FIREWORKS E-MAIL: fireworks@oxnardpd.org
Oxnard PD Non-Emergency Line: (805)385-7740
Please be prepared to give the exact address where the fireworks were ignited from.

Help us keep Oxnard safe this summer.

Do you have a question or topic idea for a future conversation?
CONTACT: podcast@oxnardpd.org

MUSIC: "Doom Dome" by MoodMode

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:13

All fireworks are illegal here in the city of Oxnard, and we're here to talk about that. Hi, I'm Oxnard Police Department Community Affairs Manager Paul Carganilla, and we've got a panel together today to talk about um an issue that is obvious obviously a uh hot topic, no pun intended, around this time of year, and that is fireworks here in the city of Oxnard. We've got our animal safety supervisor, Fermin Hernandez, with us. We've got Andrew Dixon, he's the manager of our code compliance. We've got a fire captain, Blair Martin, and our neighborhood policing team, Sergeant Mike Corr with us to talk about all the things that we're doing. Let's just start with, you know, the laws and the new new fines. Sergeant Corps, can you talk to us about, you know, we always say even safe and sane is illegal here in the city. Um what does that mean to people who maybe don't think about you know what kind of fireworks they're buying or using? Sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Thanks for having me here. Um so just so everybody knows all fireworks are illegal in the city of Oxnard. Uh my friend Andy Dixon here, uh his quote, if you light it, we'll cite it. Um if you can light the firework, it's illegal. Um it could be a fountain firework that you have on the ground that could be possibly safe and sane, you're still gonna get a $250 ticket. Anything you buy from those firework stands you see in Fillmore, along the roadway, um, those are all illegal in the city of Oxnard. Do not bring them into the city, you will get fined. It's the same um fine schedule as last year. Uh the first ticket you get will be $250. If we catch you again and cite you again, it could go up to $500. Then the third time it can go up to $1,000. So just don't do it. Be safe and go to the firework show on the 4th of July at the Channel Islands Harbor. And you won't risk injuring yourself or your family members or friends or other innocent bystanders. Um leave that up to the professionals who are licensed at the harbor and enjoy the fireworks show. Um the other um thing we have is dangerous fireworks, and that fine schedule has uh went up from $1,000 to $2,000 this year. That's the big change. So a dangerous firework, again, is anything you can light that explodes, that uh emits into the air. Um even Roman candles are dangerous fireworks. Anything that explodes, a black cat, um, of course, M80s and absolutely the mortars that shoot up into the air. Um you are not a Disneyland pyrotechnician. You do not need to be lighting off mortars in the city of Oxnard. It's extremely dangerous. We've had several injuries, even a death from um people thinking that it was okay, it's just a firework, and they end up injuring themselves. Of course, no one does it intentionally, and that's why there are accidents, but it still happens and it could be avoided by you just abiding by the law and doing the smart thing. Um so a $2,000 fine will be issued for every dangerous firework, and that's nothing to laugh at. Um we also added a city ordinance uh 7-387B as a boy of the Oxnard City Code, where you can be arrested for a misdemeanor for uh being in possession of a dangerous firework. And that is going to be officer discretion based on the circumstance. So not only can you be cited for $2,000, you can also be and or arrested for that offense. So the city um is taking this very seriously, um, the safety of the residents and everyone around. Um you can also be cited if you are hosting uh people who are lighting fireworks. Uh if you're having a 4th of July party and one of your relatives brings a friend from Nevada where fireworks are illegal and they're lighting off fireworks in the street, and then they run back into your house and officers can't identify who it was, but they go back to your residence, you will be cited for $2,000. Um you could also be cited for possibly an additional $2,000 for hosting that person at your house. So not only the dangerous firework that they lit off, but hosting them as well. So anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 for a social uh host ordinance. And there are plenty of ways to catch you. You it is very hard to get away with it with the technology we have. We have several officers out there, we have drones, and we successfully catch people in the act year in and year out.

SPEAKER_04 5:12

Fireworks are kind of woven into people's celebrations, especially around this time of year. You know, it's kind of baked into our nation's history, it's in the Star-Spangled Banner, and so people get, you know, very protective of being able to celebrate in the way that they're traditionally used to, but we can't emphasize enough how dangerous it is. And uh maybe Captain Martin can talk a little bit about the dangers of the fireworks.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

Uh yeah. Thank you. Um what we're really trying to do is just eliminate body injury, bodily injury and and property damage. So um, you know, the NFPA National Fire Protection Agency has some statistics out about injuries that occur up to about 10,000 a year that are treated in the emergency room. So, and you know, that's nationwide, but definitely it's something that we see here in the city. Um and on top of that, what we also see a lot of is uh property damage. So we're responding out 911 calls uh mostly on the night of the fourth, but for you know, little spot fires that occur here and there. Um and so we want to really eliminate that because as we know, fire season you know is is right around the corner. If not, it kind of already started, as you guys may have seen uh this past week in Simi Valley. Uh anytime there's uncontrolled fire, the potential for it to spread and uh move from home to home or neighborhood to neighborhood, that that can definitely happen, especially with poor weather conditions. So um this is this is just a means for us to try to eliminate those things.

SPEAKER_04 6:43

I've heard people say, but it fires don't start here in Oxnard, especially not because of fireworks. When I used to work in dispatch, people would say that, you know, some some residents are afraid that their house is going to catch on fire, and others just think it would never happen here. Do we go to fires here in Oxnard?

SPEAKER_02 6:58

Absolutely. And and personal experience, you know, I've I've responded to several fires that, you know, maybe started as a you know a firework that went up and landed and didn't explode in the air. It landed on the ground, or maybe some embers went down and set some grass on fire. Um we we go out to those frequently. And so uh this is you know just a means for us to say, hey, if if you light it, we're gonna cite it, um, and to potentially uh eliminate those types of issues.

SPEAKER_04 7:29

There are the physical dangers and and and harm that they can cause, but there's also the mental aspect of it. We talk about around this time every year veterans, anyone with PTSD, any of our elderly neighbors in the community, um, but of course also our animals, our pets. And um maybe for me and you can talk a little bit about what you see around uh the Fourth of July and what uh kind of stress is that fireworks cause for pets and pet owners.

SPEAKER_00 8:00

Yeah, so um dogs and and cats um that they don't have a mental reasoning capacity like that we do. Uh so they hear a big noise and they don't know what is going on. So they get they get panicked or they get uh anxiety now coupled with more and more throughout the evening or or night. So they can get very anxious and uh now uh if you think about it, people tend to go away for the weekend, for example. So now their dogs are home alone and they have no human to soothe them, uh and so they're pretty much left a lot of times uh on their own to to deal with the situation. So it could cause injuries by them trying to escape uh from kennel or from wherever place they're they're housed at because they don't know what's going on. Um coupled with um the shelter itself, um it's f at full capacity currently. Um and it doesn't matter how many uh dogs and cats they foster out or adopt out, uh they'll get uh almost the equal amount or if not more any given week or weekend. Um so um we gotta be mindful of uh how the fireworks affects our pets or other people, our neighbors' pets, and be mindful that unfortunately uh if they escape, if uh if you uh f for example, find a a stray dog, uh it is recommended you know don't take it to the shelter right away. Um a lot of times uh if you you find it roaming around your neighborhood, it probably belongs to somebody in your neighborhood. Take a picture of it, put it on next door, put on social media, wait a couple days. Uh maybe your neighbors uh went away for the weekend, and when they come back you can give them back because uh again the shelter is gonna be at uh uh at capacity or near capacity.

SPEAKER_04 9:54

That's a great idea. I haven't I haven't heard that before, but yeah, it makes a lot of sense. Just keep it there in the neighborhood and let your neighbors know hey I found this dog before you take it to the shelter. That's um a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Yeah, and for dog owners, there's a lot of resources um on YouTube. Uh they recommend, for example, the day of or right near, like take them for extra long walks or even runs, um uh anticipating the high uptake in uh fireworks. That way uh a tired dog will be less reactive. So it it'll help them especially uh to not be so reactive uh when they start hearing the uptake in fireworks. So thank you.

SPEAKER_04 10:35

Um the Ventura County Animal Shelter, do they have any certain special deals around the holidays or around fireworks as far as like not charging certain fees? I think I remember that from previous.

SPEAKER_00 10:46

So in previous years, um I actually uh spoke with them a little while ago. They haven't made the official decision, but based on previous years, they do have like an amnesty for dogs that were taken in uh for the July uh weekend. Um it's not a hundred percent yet, but more than likely they will have an amnesty where you go pick up your dog at no cost. But obviously we want people to take extra precautions, you know, check your gates, make sure if if there's kids over, you know, make sure that they close the door so that dogs don't get out. Play some music, watch some movies.

SPEAKER_04 11:18

Correct. Fill the house with with some some fun sounds.

SPEAKER_00 11:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 11:23

Um and Paul, um for me if they have a microchip, the animal control officers, do they carry a chip reader on board the truck?

SPEAKER_00 11:32

Yeah, that's a good uh point. Yes. Um you know, ple uh something as simple as a microchip or something as simple as getting a tag. Right? You could go to any store, Walmart, I believe, and uh Pit Smart, you could get a tag uh with uh at least a phone number or at least an address. A lot of times phone numbers change, but addresses tend not to. So address is actually a little bit better. Um I know they charge per letter or per per line, but uh phone number address would be great, or if it has a microchip. So I mean we still have a few weeks uh to go. Um uh Humane Society has low-cost microchip implanting. Um so look them up. Uh uh VCAS also has that. I'm pretty sure they'll have something leading up to 4th of July. So look on social media, call them at uh 805-388-4341. That's a general number for Ventura County Animal Services, and you could ask if uh they could implant uh microchip.

SPEAKER_04 12:27

You got some time, make sure we can identify your animals and take take all that stress out of that that process in case they do run. Um now, Andrew, you're the code compliance manager. People don't necessarily think of when they think of fireworks, they don't I don't think necessarily associate it with code. Uh but uh fireworks enforcement is a combined effort between the police, fire, and code compliance agencies here in the city of Oxnard. And um, you know there are a lot of opinions about how uh it's managed when people do make the reports, and a complaint that we often hear is that the city of Oxnard is not doing enough about fireworks uh from a code compliance perspective. Can you kind of just like share the efforts that we go through annually?

SPEAKER_03 13:15

Sure, Paul. And thanks for having us. Thanks for getting the word out. Um it can be a little on the frustrating side that every year I hear the same thing that the city of Oxnard does nothing. Um but to my knowledge, we are the only city in Ventura County that does anything proactive on fireworks. Uh part of that is the code compliance team teaming up with the police department and with the fire department to have a consistent message out there and consistent enforcement. Um how how code compliance steps in, as Sergeant Corr mentioned, if a property owner is allowing fireworks to be shot on their property, or we're the subject matter experts on property ownership, we have access to the tax records. So you may be renting that house, but the citation is going to go to the property owner, and then you're going to have a very uncomfortable conversation with your landlord as to why they just got a $2,000 ticket for you allowing fireworks to be shot on their property. Uh other actions that Code Compliance does, we've just finished a sweep of the entire city to make sure all of our vacant lots are free of weeds. We don't need a firework that shot off landing in the in the vacant brush out on Fifth Street and setting a neighborhood on fire. We just had the palisades completely destroyed last year, and we don't need that in the city of Oxnard. Do you also sweep the businesses as well? We do. Um every year we get complaints about the fireworks being sold up at the big box stores, Costco, Sam's Club, um, and even in the smaller mom and pop retail shops uh throughout the city. And what we look for is does it take a match? Does it require an ignition source? So if it has to that's where the if you light it, we cite it. What you'll find in in the big box stores are party poppers. They're being sold this time of year for graduation celebrations 4th of July. Those every year that we find are in compliance. They don't require a fuse to be lit. It is a pull apart and confetti shoots up into the air. Um we have found illegal fireworks being sold in in retail establishments in the city in years past. Uh one year I even found them being sold from an ice cream truck, uh, which made you can get a popsicle and some fireworks. I mean it makes a great Tuesday. A couple different kind of poppers. Yeah. So yeah, we check we check our retail establishments, uh, the retailers, they can face uh criminal citation, or they can also get the new uh civil citation. And the civil citation, uh just to expand on that, uh it is a fine, it's an administrative citation, and if you fail to pay it, it will then get turned over and an intercept on your taxes is is done. So come May next year, my phone starts ringing when people are expecting their tax return, and instead they're getting a notice that your taxes have been intercepted for failure to pay.

SPEAKER_04 16:41

But you also team up with uh I guess all three agencies. You guys you guys all get together and do um roaming enforcement as well, closer to the holiday. Yes. Yeah. Tell me about that.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Okay. So fireworks are a huge problem for the entire state, not just Oxnard. And like Andy said, we're the only city I know around in the area that conducts proactive directed enforcement. Um look, we follow intelligent-led policing, we have heat maps where we've had complaints in the past. We know where the fireworks are happening, we direct our enforcement into those areas. We team up, we have a great relationship out of anyone that I've seen in the state between our fire department, uh co-compliance and police, animal safety, we all work very closely together and we get the job done because we care about doing that for our residents first and foremost. So knowing that it's a statewide problem and we're doing what we can to enforce it, enforce it is the first thing. Um catching people in the act is extremely hard because a lot of people are doing it. And for people doing it in their backyards or randomly and then running back into their house, and then we get a complaint about it, it's hard to go out and find where it's at unless we have an exact location. So we do do directed enforcement. So we'll go out. We'll also partner with our drone unit. Um, and if we see fireworks in the area, um they will go to where the fireworks are going off. Um they have a capability uh for infrared, um, they record everything. Um we can record people lighting the fireworks off if we catch them in the act and see where these uh or even if it's a hot spot area in your backyard and we can pinpoint it to that area, we'll go knock on your door. You will hear from us in one way or the other, whether it's in person or via citation. So we are out doing that um weekly with a team of uh police officers from the neighborhood policing team, co-compliance, and Oxnard City Fire. Um we, and especially you, Paul, are putting it out on social media, the dangers of fireworks, and it's against the law and the sign uh the fines you can get for being cited. Um we are also uh word of mouth telling people at neighborhood council meetings, um, hey, tell everyone that this is illegal, don't do it, it's dangerous. Um we're catching people um selling fireworks. Um they could also be arrested uh now under the city code. Um there's also a health and safety code section for uh legally selling fireworks and illegally selling fireworks to minors. Um so we're taking uh all of those um things into effect this season. We're out in full force now, so the message is just don't do it. Uh go to where it's safe at the uh fireworks event at the Channel Islands Harbor July 4th, and it'll work out a lot better for you and your pocketbook.

SPEAKER_04 19:47

You can find information about that event at Channel IslandsHarbor.org. It's the 25th annual Fireworks by the Sea. It starts at sundown on the 4th of July. And um we highly encourage everyone to go see the professional displays. Um one thing I wanted to mention, you mentioned that recently in recent years we've been using a lot of drones uh and drone footage to in order to enact these citations. And so people think that, you know, if if they light some fireworks off on Tuesday night and no cops have come knock on uh knocking on their door, they're uh they're good to go. But do we also um we mail the citations as well?

SPEAKER_01 20:33

Yes, that's uh part of the social horse ordinance and the use of uh the dangerous fireworks. Uh they will or their property owner will get a nasty citation in the mail that they won't be too happy about, like Andy said. Um but via the drones we can pinpoint uh to an exact location. Um as you know, technology today is pretty incredible and we do have that technology and we do use it. Um we also um you know informed by people or people can also report fireworks um via the hotworks or fireworks hotline. Um I also have this cell phone with fireworks on it uh or people can call and leave messages or if we're available an MPT officer will answer the phone and you can uh let us know where the fireworks are occurring. I know people say, well, don't expect me to go out of my house and find the fireworks for you. That's your job. Yes, you are correct. However, if we do have an exact address or a more um you know pinpointed location, it makes our job a lot easier to make those fireworks go away. So my message is let's work together on this and don't just uh point the fingers at each other and we work together all the time. Neighborhood policing team, that's our bread and butter, is working closely with the community and that's how we get problem solved. So we're in this together and let's not just, you know, rely on one thing or another. Let's let's let's work together and And handle this problem. You can also we have an email you could send us information to. Like I said, an exact address would be the ultimate or a more pinpointed location. Um and the cell phone, and if it's an emergency, obviously call dispatch and the non-emergency dispatch uh line. Uh so there's several ways of reporting uh fireworks and just know that we are out. Um neighborhood policing teams out, co-compliance and oxenard city fire, we're out in full effect um addressing these uh fireworks issues when we can, where we can. Uh we're out at night um after our shifts, uh making sure we do that for the citizens. So we work uh from now until a little bit after the fourth, we're working really long uh days and nights to address this problem. And we're the only ones in the area really doing that. So uh we appreciate our relationships with the community and uh let's just keep it up.

SPEAKER_04 22:55

I will put all those reporting avenues in the description of this podcast and the YouTube video. Um and we've we've mentioned the drones, but also in recent years we've had a fixed-wing aircraft up in the air that can really pinpoint the addresses that uh firework activity is taking place. Is that going to happen again this year?

SPEAKER_02 23:16

Yeah. And so yeah, the last two years we've used fixed-wing uh planes basically that are up there looking for the heat signatures and the video of people uh fire uh shooting off fireworks, you know, with with basically, like Sergeant Kore said, the social host uh ordinance kind of uh in mind. And so what we've done is partnered with uh a company that'll go and fly a plane around the city of Oxnard mostly um on the night of the fourth and pinpoint those locations. Secondarily, what it does for us is it allows us to kind of see where things are happening and we can send units out there, but also it will uh just like the drones record everything that it's doing. So we can take that footage days after, uh, write citations uh based off of the social host uh ordinance.

SPEAKER_04 24:13

And Andrew, you mentioned that in previous years, or at least in previous conversations that we've had, code compliance keeps like a list or and and a roster of like hotspots and addresses, and you send them letters, right?

SPEAKER_03 24:26

Primarily for our short short-term rentals. Uh the neighborhood policing team sends out letters to known violators from from historic violations. And then code compliance, um, because we deal with our short-term rental owners and the maintaining of their permits, they have a lot to lose. So if one of their guests staying in their short-term rental is found to be shooting fireworks, they can lose their permit to operate a short-term rental. Do we have a lot of Airbnbs and short-term rentals here in town?

SPEAKER_04 24:58

Several dozen.

SPEAKER_03 24:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 25:00

Yeah. Um obviously it starts before Memorial Day, though people start calling in firework activity, and it goes well after the Fourth of July as well. But um as for the Fourth of July itself, what kind of um staffing do we have? Uh it's a holiday. Do uh do we have uh extra staffing, or is it about status quo?

SPEAKER_01 25:27

Well, it is our most highly staffed day of the year. Um we have numerous amounts of patrol officers between we have three patrol shifts in the city of Oxnard, uh our day, evening, and morning shift. So between the evening shift um going in service around 2 p.m. Um and uh till when the morning shift joins them about six p.m. and up until four a.m., we'll have 40 plus officers in the city. And that does not include uh co-compliance and Oxnard City firefighters riding with uh some of the patrol officers. So we're gonna have extra hands on deck um with just the patrol aspect in the city. Um as we're patrolling the city, we also have the firework show going on the Channel Owns Harbor. And that's a completely separate entity where we're gonna have our traffic unit there, um our motor comprised of our motor officers, traffic service assistants doing traffic control, crowd control. We're also gonna have a neighbor put neighborhood policing team at the fireworks show um also doing crowd control. We're gonna be on bikes. We're gonna be in our side-by-side Polarises uh patrolling the beach and the surrounding areas. Um and that can be um anywhere an additional 40 um people um in that respect. So it's gonna be that day is gonna be highly staffed and uh one of the most uh of the year.

SPEAKER_04 27:04

So when you think about fire and code compliance, you don't necessarily picture them out on patrol, but you guys actually do do some patrolling around this time?

SPEAKER_02 27:13

Yeah, we do. Uh you know, between five to ten days extra, I would say, um in in in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July. So we're out there after our usual work schedule, um patrolling with PD and with uh code uh up until you know late hours of the night.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

Nights and weekends. Um it is, like Mike said, all hands on deck. And it has been that way. Um this will be my 10th, 4th of July that I will be out there. Um you know, we're we don't get that luxury of of grilling with our family and enjoying fireworks, sitting on the back porch of of our homes. Um we are out there dealing dealing with it out on the streets. So it is on an all-hands type situation. Uh and that's I think something the the residents of Oxner need to realize. This isn't something new. It's been a concerted effort that city management has made sure it is a forefront to keep our residents safe.

SPEAKER_04 28:22

If somebody had questions about fireworks, or obviously we've given them avenues in which to report, but who could they contact with those questions?

SPEAKER_01 28:33

I would just say send an email through the hotline uh or through the fireworks email, and we get those. Everyone from the neighborhood policing team either gets a voicemail or an email sent to us our inbox and we monitor those and we can answer the question. Most of the time it's people just um reporting fireworks. Um it's pretty simple. All fireworks are illegal. If you know where they're coming from, let us know. Um if you're just gonna say, I l I'm here and I hear fireworks, uh it doesn't help us out too much. We need a more um or just you can say a location, I'm at the corner of Channel Islands and Ventura Road, and I hear the fireworks, uh, they're coming from behind my house, and it's possibly one block away. I mean, that's a lot better than just saying, I hear fireworks. So help us help you, I guess I would say.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

Um callers can remain anonymous. And and I think that's one of the things. No one wants to, you know, quote unquote, like rat their neighbor out or something. But when these are big issues and problems, especially in your little neck of the woods or your little, you know, sphere that you live in, like uh just know that you can make a call and report fireworks and just remain anonymous. So I think that's important to pass along.

SPEAKER_03 29:53

I'd also like to point out that unless it is a true life and death situation, that the calls should not be going into the 911 dispatch. They uh those lines need to be kept open for true emergencies.

SPEAKER_04 30:08

That's right. Life or death emergencies, dial 911. In any other case, uh we've got these other reporting avenues that we encourage you to please take advantage of because we do have a limited number of 911 lines in the dispatch center, and we want to keep those free and clear for actual life or death emergencies.

SPEAKER_01 30:24

One more thing. So just so people know if you see this and you're thinking about should I or should I not do this, especially before the fourth, because you just went to Nevada and you just got a truck full of fireworks and you just have the urge to light them off, just know that my team and I, we will be out there on bikes in our cars and with drones, and we'll probably find you and you will get a $2,000 ticket and or be subject uh to arrest, depending on the situation. So just avoid all that and keep yourself safe and uh keep that money that you earned in your uh wallet and don't do it and uh be safe.

SPEAKER_03 31:06

And the all these fines don't go away after the 4th of July. Uh just just remember that. If you're shooting them off to celebrate graduation from high school, if you're celebrating it's the second Tuesday of August. Or if you want to celebrate when the Dodgers win the next World Series, you will still face a $2,000 fine. Lakers winning, we don't have to worry about.

SPEAKER_04 31:36

Fines are year-round. The fireworks are illegal all year round here in the city of Oxnard. It's good good to keep that in mind as well. And I just want to thank everybody for taking the time to tune in, to listen, or to watch. If you found this information valuable, please share it with your community. Um, share it on your next store, your Facebook, and spread the word about fireworks. Even if they're deemed safe and sane, they are illegal here in the city of Oxnard. Thank you again for taking the time, fellas.

SPEAKER_02 32:02

Thank you, thank you. Thank you.