Bainbridge organizers gearing up for massive Fourth of July fireworks display
Published 5:02 pm Thursday, May 28, 2009
While the city mulls whether to ban, limit or license personal fireworks usage on the island, some community members are taking things into their own hands.
Members of the Bainbridge Island Yacht Club (BIYC) in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce are raising funds for a large community fireworks display over Eagle Harbor this July 4.
The display will be in honor of Arnold Jackson, a long-time Bainbridge Island volunteer firefighter and a member of the Chamber of Commerce who coordinated the Fourth of July parade for over 20 years.
“He really stood for the Fourth,” said Tod Hornick, an organizer and co-founder of the BIYC. “It would be great to honor him with a new display.”
Organizers have already signed on with Boomtown Fireworks, which puts on displays in Western Washington, and have secured a barge to launch rockets from Eagle Harbor.
But organizers need to clear some financial hurdles to make this year’s display a success.
The goal is to reach $40,000. Roughly $30,000 will go toward a $100,000 display ($70,000 of which is being donated by Boomtown). The remaining $10,000 will go to support the Chamber of Commerce to fund the Fourth of July event and police presence. Organizers are gathering donations through the BIYC club website.
Some are also hoping that a major display will reduce fireworks-related incidents, which is a major impetus for the movement to ban or restrict fireworks on the island.
An all-out fireworks ban has been discussed at the city since 2007. A community open house last month on a proposed island-wide fireworks ban saw many citizens voice opposition to the measure. Since then, the council has opted to work on new approaches that include limiting the hours for fireworks and instituting a licensing or permit program.
“In my professional opinion, in terms of the best way to prevent fires or injuries a full ban would seem to be the most appropriate action,” said Jared Moravec, fire marshal with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. “However, it is good to keep an open mind, and look at other alternatives for ways to limit fires or injuries.”
One of those approaches includes large, public fireworks displays.
“That was one of my big selling points,” Hornick said. “That fireworks-related incidents were reduced drastically in places where they had an organized and centrally located show.”
Police chief John Felman agreed, saying that larger, permitted events will allow the Bainbridge police to be aware of major demonstrations and allow them to concentrate on enforcing existing regulations regarding illegal fireworks.
“In some ways this is a great solution,” he said. “We’ll be a lot better off bringing that kind of civility in these discussions.”
More information, and how to donate to the Arnold Jackson Memorial Fireworks Fund, can be found at: http://the-biyc.us.
