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San Juan County will stop permitting public fireworks at McGee Park after insurer demands
Summary
County staff announced the county will no longer provide a designated public fireworks area at McGee Park after its insurer required liability waivers and proof-of-training that officials said are impractical for the large public event; county will direct residents to public displays instead.
San Juan County officials said they will stop offering McGee Park as an open site for public fireworks after the county’s insurance carrier declined to extend coverage unless every attendee signed a liability waiver and showed proof of safe-use training.
County Manager Mike Stark told commissioners the decision followed a review of visitation data and a conversation with the county’s insurer. "We were able to determine that 8,500 people were actually in the parking lot on July for that event," Stark said, and 11,500 people visited over the full week in one recent year. Stark said public-safety officials noted crowded conditions, alcohol use despite bans, and several close calls between vehicles and pedestrians.
The county’s insurer informed county staff on May 9 that it would not provide coverage for the event unless attendees signed waivers and demonstrated safe-use training—conditions county officials described as impractical for an open, first-come, first-served event. "There would be no reasonable way or practical way to administer such a program," Stark told commissioners.
As a result, county leaders said they will not host the open fireworks site at McGee Park this year and will increase public messaging about alternative, organized displays. Officials said they will place message boards at the park, deploy patrols during the July week, and work with fire and rescue to barricade previously used parking-lot areas. Stark encouraged residents to attend scheduled public displays, citing the City of Farmington’s July 3 show, Bloomfield’s July 5 event and the county’s returning Freedom Day Electric Lights parade.
County officials said they will notify vendors during fireworks-stand inspections and issue a press release to give as much advance notice as possible to residents. The county manager asked the public for understanding and emphasized the decision was driven by insurance and public-safety concerns rather than a change to the county’s desire to provide a safe venue.
