Archives



Addressing concerns about Sonoma’s 4th of July fireworks show

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Sonoma Valley Sun

The Sonoma Volunteer FirefightersAssociation distributed this letter last month:

Dear fellow Sonoma Valley Residents

This year, the members of the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association are excited to bring back a modified July 4: Fireworks celebration a beloved community event that was necessarily canceled last year due to the COVID19 pandemic. The willingness of our community to get vaccinated and follow health guidelines has led to tremendous progress in our fight against COVID these past few months and we have every reason to believe that things will continue to improve. Were excited for this opportunity to celebrate the gains weve made after a really rough 16+ months for all of us

Weve all had our lives disrupted, activities impacted, family and friends affected, and certainly, for our first responders, we have seen far too much harm and suffering related to COVID19. In December and January, our medical calls nearly always involved someone suffering from COVID19. We worried about our patients, ourselves, our colleagues and our families

In part, thats why we were so happy to help with the Sonoma Valley Health Partners to vaccinate thousands of Valley residents in February and March. These Saturdays and Sundays when ordinarily wed be able to take time off were worked with enthusiasm and celebration, as each shot signaled that one more person was safe

While we are heartened to hear from so many of you that are eager for the return of our fireworks display, we have also heard, understand and acknowledge those who have concerns about the show. Noise from fireworks can cause distress for our veterans, those with sensory sensitivities and pets. Fireworks shows in the past have brought in large crowds. Were in a drought with an early start to fire season. We take these concerns very seriously

Please know that our experienced team is committed to safely putting on a Fireworks show, and has done this through many droughts in the past. This year, well use reclaimed water to dampen the area around the display area. We have acquired fireworks that will launch higher in the sky so they will be enjoyed from a safe distance and discourage crowds. Well continue to communicate details of the event including the time and duration to better prepare those who are sensitive to the noise. As we do every year, we‘ll use our utmost diligence regarding the wind and weather, watching both to make sure we can safely launch fireworks

Wishing everyone a very happy and safe 4th of July

— Tom Deely, President Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association 

 

 



3 thoughts on “Addressing concerns about Sonoma’s 4th of July fireworks show

  1. Encouraging, but is the Association insured? If not, or if any fire damages exceed policy limits, will the city or county taxpayers be on the hook to pay claims?

  2. To whom….I am not happy about fireworks in Sonoma this year. Too dangerous…although I am sure all appropriate measures have been taken to be safe. I worry MORE about individuals who have gotten ahold of fireworks and let them off Willy nilly in neighborhoods like mine.

Comments are closed.


Sonoma Sun | Sonoma, CA