San Bruno details unified fire and police plan for July 4; warns of $1,000 fireworks fines

Fire Chief Ari DeLay and Police Chief Matt Lathine outlined San Bruno’s unified public‑safety approach for the July 4 weekend, including extra staffing, daily inspections of fireworks booths and a joint public‑service campaign about safe‑and‑sane fireworks.

DeLay said the fire department will staff fire‑prevention personnel and add a Cal OES Type 6 engine with three extra personnel to improve response capacity. He emphasized inspecting booths daily, enforcing compliance and reminding residents that fireworks lacking the state fire marshal’s “Safe and Sane” emblem are typically illegal and hazardous. DeLay also warned against disposing of recently used fireworks in household trash, citing three prior structure fires tied to improper disposal.

Chief Lathine said the police department will field additional marked and unmarked units, use drone technology for enforcement and conduct outreach to prior violators before July 4. He said permitted safe‑and‑sane fireworks are allowed on private property under city rules (June 28, noon–9 p.m.; July 4, noon–11 p.m.), not in parks, public parking lots or school grounds. Lathine said the city can issue a $1,000 administrative citation for possession or use of illegal fireworks and may use social‑host citations when property owners allow others to use illegal fireworks on their site.

During council questions, members asked staff to provide a post‑event report detailing how additional resources were used and whether the staffing was necessary. Lathine said the approach is data‑driven and that officers will focus on actionable, specific reports that include location and suspect information so units can respond effectively.

The city encouraged residents to keep fireworks at least 10 feet from structures, to have a hose or extinguisher nearby, and to place spent fireworks in a bucket of water or metal container to prevent rekindling.