For City Council Meeting [July 27, 2021]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Mark Kling, Police Chief
Sean Grayson, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to Receive the 2021 Annual Firework After Action Report and Consider any Other Measures for Reducing the Significant Adverse Effects of all Fireworks on our Community.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND
In July 2020, the City Council approved the creation of an ad hoc committee to research and make recommendations related to the ever-increasing use of illegal fireworks in the City. The committee worked with the combined staff from the Rialto Police and Fire Departments to assist in the development of a comprehensive, long-range plan to stop the significant adverse effects of all fireworks on our community. The recommendations of the committee were presented to City Council in January and May of 2021. The Rialto Police and Fire Departments integrated the recommendations of the committee into the Incident Action Plan for fireworks education, engagement/encouragement, engineering, and enforcement which was deployed in June and through the 4th of July holiday.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The activities recommended by the committee and implemented by staff in 2021 were as follows:
Education/Engagement/Encouragement:
* Materials for education and community engagement were developed in English and Spanish and distributed by staff and committee members at various events and in partnership with local businesses.
* The City Clerk's Office created a fireworks page with information on how to report illegal fireworks, access to the fireworks application, the City's 4th of July Event and safety for community members and pets.
* Digital signage and billboard throughout the community were used to display educational materials specific to the City of Rialto with additional safety information posted in cooperation with CalFire.
* Social media was used extensively to share the collective me...
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