Dixon Residents, Nonprofit Groups Await Safe-and-Sane Fireworks

Get ready Dixon.

Come Tuesday it will be legal to sell and use state-approved fireworks and several local nonprofit agencies are primed to offer them.

Back in February, the lifted the ban on Safe-and-Sane fireworks and later that permitted the sale of fireworks from June 28 through July 4. The nonprofit groups are allowed to begin selling the fireworks from 12-10 p.m., on Tuesday; and 9 a.m., to 10 p.m., from June 29 through July 4.

Dixon residents can possess the fireworks beginning at noon on June 28 until noon on July 6. However, under the pilot program, use of the fireworks is lawful between the hours of 9 a.m., and 11 p.m., on the days that the fireworks may be sold.

The enforcement will include a taskforce and signage to help minimize the risk of fireworks-related incidents Dixon Fire Chief Aaron McAlister said

“Signs will be posted at city parks notifying residents that (fireworks) are not permissible in city parks and also not permissible at schools and also not permissible in the fairgrounds,” McAlister said.

The Dixon Fire Department is teaming up with the to deploy teams consisting of one firefighter and once police officer that will patrol the streets.

“We are looking for safe practice, adult supervision,” McAlister said. “We don’t want to see any fireworks altered or modified. Residential streets are OK, except for any street in First Street. So hopefully under the proper adult supervision and the proper use, this can be an enjoyable product.”

Anyone caught in possession of illegal-dangerous fireworks, or misusing Safe-and-Sane Fireworks can be issued an administrative citation that provides for monetary penalties. In addition, the incident could end up being a misdemeanor or infraction.

A Dixon Fire Department lottery drawing determined that eight out of 19 nonprofit groups who entered the drawing will have the benefit of selling the fireworks locally. The stands will be located near George’s Orange, , , , and .

The sale of the fireworks is expected to bring in thousands of dollars in revenue for the groups. Dixon Girls Softball's fireworks stand will be located at the parking lot on E Dorset Drive.

“We are hoping it to raise enough money to buy new equipment for our softball team,” said Chris Lyle, fundraising coordinator for Dixon Girl’s Softball. “We are one of only two organizations (who will be selling fireworks) that are children oriented.”

Lyle said her group is hoping to raise $10,000.

“We are going to buy catcher’s gear for all of our teams, 14 or 15 teams,” Lyle said. “We will also probably buy new bats. Most of what we have are hand-me-downs or we have had for a very long time.”

Lyle said her group went through some training with their fireworks vendor, Sacramento-based Phantom Fireworks, that covered how to sell the fireworks safely, how to store them and how to maximize profits.

Lyle said she is aware that there are seven other competitors in Dixon from where customers can buy the fireworks.

“I would like to have seen only six stands, but it is what it is,” she said. “There are going to be two stands in the Wal-Mart parking lot. But we are hoping … to get much business out there too.”

TNT Fireworks is one of two vendors, along with Phantom Fireworks, that is working with Dixon businesses as well as the Dixon Fire Department to bring the fireworks to Dixon. TNT is working with six of the eight nonprofit groups allowed to sell in Dixon said Dennis Revell, president of Revell Communications, the group that lobbies for TNT Fireworks.

Asked about the number of fireworks stands permitted in Dixon Revell said: “Given certainly the first year of operation … I think it would be not a prudent decision to try any more than that. Ultimately I think time will tell, but I doubt that circumstance will suggest that you should grow beyond the numbers.”

Revell said TNT Fireworks offers two types of programs to its clients. One is a 50-50 split in which the fireworks company splits evenly with the nonprofit group both the cost and the gross amount of funds generated from the fireworks stand. The other agreement TNT uses is called a 70-30 program in which the nonprofit group is guaranteed 30 percent of the gross amount generated from the sales.

“I would certainly expect the stands in Dixon to probably gross somewhere in the area of $20,00 to $22,000 apiece easily,” Revell said.

McAlister said the sale and use of fireworks in Dixon is a cause for concern, given the warm temperatures that Dixon has experienced along with the amount of dry vegetation in the fire district. He noted that the Solano County Fire Chiefs Association opposed the lifting of the ban of fireworks in Dixon at the time the council was considering it.

“Since then, I did remind my neighboring fire chiefs that we are going to have fireworks on sale in Dixon and they did express a concern about additional fires in their jurisdiction, but we are hoping that the public uses them as intended and it’s not going to be a big issue for us,” McAlister said. “They have been sold in Winters and Rio Vista. I have asked them to notify me if they have fires caused by fireworks.”

McAlister said he would be providing a report to the city council sometime in the upcoming months that will include the amount of incidents the fire department responded to, as well as any fires caused by Dixon’s fireworks sales. Until then, Dixon residents and nonprofit agencies will enjoy the sale of Safe-and-Sane fireworks.

“I think it’s going to bring some revenue for Dixon,” Lyle said. “Hopefully everybody uses the fireworks safely and we can continue doing this.”

Lyle said she is looking for volunteers to help run the stand – about 20 to 25. Any parent who volunteers eight hours at the stand will receive a free registration for Dixon Girl’s Softball for their child.

Anyone who is interested can contact Lyle at 718-1934.