Fulton councilors ask for review of holiday fireworks after safety concerns

Fulton City Council members asked city staff to schedule a discussion about the public-safety impacts of legal fireworks after multiple councilors said they have heard growing concern from residents.

Councilman Combs opened council concerns by saying, "we've had a few years of fireworks being legal in town," and asked that the council talk with police and the fire department about the safety and operational impacts over those holiday days. The council did not set a date for that discussion.

Councilman Hensley, who said the Public Safety Commission met last week, urged residents to report hazards and described related safety issues the commission has observed: "if people see things that are unsafe to please contact us or contact the city clerk or the the DOA or assistant DOA." He also praised the fire department for its response to a recent house fire, saying they did "an outstanding job of getting that house under control, contained, and keeping the other houses from burning down." Hensley connected removal of vacant houses to reduced fire risk and urged support for the city's Community Development Block Grant program to address vacant properties.

Other council members echoed appreciation for the police and fire departments and noted extra cleanup work for the sanitation crews after the holiday. When the mayor asked the police chief for how many fireworks-related calls the department had received, the chief replied he did not have that count available at the meeting.

No formal action or ordinance resulted from the discussion; councilors asked staff to follow up and to coordinate with public-safety departments for an informational conversation at a future meeting.