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Survey splits West Richland on fireworks; fire chief warns mutual-aid strain ahead of Fourth of July
Summary
A community survey and council discussion left West Richland divided on fireworks policy. Fire District 4 warned neighboring agencies may not provide the same mutual aid they did after last year’s holiday; council scheduled a May 12 workshop to consider limits on sale/discharge, vendor rules, permits, and enforcement options.
West Richland’s community survey and council workshop revealed a roughly even split among residents over fireworks rules and prompted public-safety warnings from the county fire chief.
“About half the population is happy and half are not,” staff said after presenting survey results from roughly 1,544 respondents. The survey showed a strong set of concerns for fireworks tied to fire risk, late-night noise, litter and illegal or unsafe use; respondents also expressed frustration with enforcement. The survey was the single topic that produced the largest volume of free-text comments.
Mayor Prom Bloom opened discussion by noting the statutory and timing implications of ordinance changes, and he asked council to schedule a dedicated workshop to develop options. The council set a May 12 follow-up workshop to consider specific ordinance changes and outreach strategies.
Benton…
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