In the work session of the Salida City Council on Monday, March 2, Fire Chief Doug Bess shared with Council his recommendation to continue on with the fireworks show for Independence Day this year.
Independence Day Fireworks Display Photo Courtesy of the City of Salida
In a prior City Council work session on Monday, February 17, Bess approached Council with Firefighter and Certified Display Officer Dan Distel and addressed purchasing concerns and safety concerns received from citizens in continuing the firework show for Independence Day.
At that time, council directed Bess to gain more feedback from the public and to research further into what alternatives Salida could consider in place of a firework display.
Chief Bess shared with Council the feedback he had received when reaching out to community members. He said those in favor spoke of tradition, community and Salida pride, while those who spoke against the fireworks display addressed disturbances to pets, those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and wildlife and pollution.
Bess conducted and an unofficial survey on Facebook and sought business owner feedback while attending the Salida Business Alliance (SBA) meeting on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Chief Bess provided a statement he received from the SBA in his memo, “The Salida Business Alliance supports the 4th of July fireworks tradition and would like to see it continue presuming the weather is favorable, our neighbors are safe and there are enough fire personnel available to safely conduct the show.”
The statement provided by SBA and presented in the memo continued, “In the unfortunate case that 4th of July fireworks need to be postponed, the Salida Business Alliance will work to provide a Plan B that is budget-friendly and achievable on short notice.”
Chief Bess shared the cost projections with council, gathered since the last work session. A laser show would cost $17,000 for a 15-minute laser show, while a 14-minute drone show would cost $80,000. A later quote that Bess received noted that a $17,000 show, conducting a few formations in the sky, could be done with 25 drones. Bess said that their budget for Independence Day fireworks is $15,000 for a firework display ranging between 15 and 20 minutes.
Chief Bess shared efforts to improve the marketing of the show and spreading the word about the Independence Day display. “I think where we can improve is if we postpone the show, doing a better job of getting the word out. I thought that we had, but I have received more complaints [about the lack of marketing],” said Bess. Council member Alisa Pappenfort asked that Bess also look into marketing the expected duration of the show, so visitors and those hoping to see the fireworks will not miss it.
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