Here are excepts from a couple of recent postings to Mayor Kelli, City Council Members, the Bellingham Police Department and the Bellingham Fire Department:
"New Year Greetings to
All,
Last
June, representatives of the Bellingham Police and Fire Department and of the
City Attorney's Office made a presentation to the Mayor and members of City
Council regarding fireworks in our City. This presentation included a
review of the City fireworks ordinance - BMC 10.24.130. As a
simplification of what this ordinance prohibits fireworks-wise in our City, it
was stated that any fireworks that leaves the ground or goes "bang"
instead of "pop" was illegal. Last evening, on the Southside,
many fireworks that shot far into the air and/or exploded with
"bomb-like" noises "greeted" the New Year! These
explosions continue this evening. I am hoping that the multiple BPD units
that are at this very instant - 9:45PM - are in Happy Valley are in fact evidence
that these folks who continue to ignore the existing fireworks regulations are
being sought. Please advise. THANKS!"
"Greetings
I would like to comment
about my experience regarding the new years eve fireworks observed here in the
Sunny Land Neighborhood. I have waited until this morning to send an email because I wanted
to wait a few days to see if any reports regarding illegal use of fireworks showed up on
the Bellingham Police daily activity report for
new years eve. I checked this morning and
there was not one report. I am reporting on the activity in the
vicinity around my home . . . The obviously illegal fireworks started going off at
approximately 11:30 PM, and continued through to 1:30 AM. I am talking about extremely loud
explosions. It is still clear to me that the police department is powerless and reluctant
to enforce the law regarding the use of illegal fireworks in the City of Bellingham. The
City Council needs to step up to the plate and be the lawmakers that they were elected
to be and put into effect a total ban of fireworks. This is a huge public safety issue.
Durring the New years
eve fireworks this year I didn't even bother to make one 911 call because of the
experience I had on the last fourth of July with the Bellingham Police Department. That seems to me a good indication that the city council will continue to do nothing
about the Firework issue. If nothing else why doesn't the police department enforce the
city's noise ordinance BMC 10.24.120?"
Here are excerpts of postings received today on this Freedom From Fireworks in Bellingham blog:
"We called 911 New Year's
Eve. I said "I know you don't care
about this and you probably won't do anything about this but my neighbors are
breaking the law right now and I'd like a patrol car to drive by." The
explosions stopped about 15 mins later so I think they actually drove by.
We had a couple ideas
after the fact:
1) I am going to write a
personal note to my neighbor (I know exactly who does this every 4th and 31st)
this July 3rd and beg them to not break the law again/be unneighborly. I am
also going to offer to donate up to half of what they are spending on these
explosives to the charity of their choice.
2) I looked into
creating an online database where we can have people log incidents when they
happen so we get a realistic view of how much law breaking is going on.
What continues to bother
me here is this...why even have this law if it isn't going to be enforced?
I hate this sort of stuff."
". . . you might want to contact the Whatcom Humane Society for statistics on the
animal impact of fireworks. After New Year's and the 4th, there are always dogs
picked up by Animal Control who got out during the fireworks and ran around
terrified until they were found. A few get hit by cars as they run blindly out
into the street. I volunteer there so I hear about these issues. I also know
that the vet there distributes sedatives for the staff's animals before those
holidays. My cat sat on my chest New Year's Eve, submitting to hugs (a rare
thing), from 11:30 to 1 AM. You have a lot of supporters at WHS."
