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We’re only a few days away from the July Fourth holiday, and on Sunday, Safe and Sane fireworks officially went on sale in the city of Fresno.
Every year the city allows the fireworks stands to open up on the 28th of June. Each stand in Fresno is run by a local non-profit organization, to raise money for their group. According to the city’s website, the non-profit organizations are chosen through a lottery-system, and then given a two-year selling permit.
Gail Marlett showed off his fireworks stand on Sunday that he’s running near Cedar and Shields on behalf of the Fresno Moose Lodge.
"Our major thing is raising children back east all the way through college. So that’s where a lot of this money goes to," said Marlett.
Marlett, who is the administrator for the Fresno Moose Lodge, said they can sell, and therefore raise, a lot of money in the week they’re permitted to be open.
He recalled in recent years, "I think we netted somewhere around 15 to 18,000 dollars."
And it seems to be a win-win situation, said Marlett. They get the profit, and shoppers like Lauren Martinez get the sparkling fun.
Martinez said, "We were looking at the packages because they seem to be a better deal. A lot less expensive."
But Marlett said running the stand in the middle of summer is not as simple as just selling fireworks.
He said, "Fresno Fire comes everyday. And they were just here couple hours ago, checking, making sure our fire extinguishers are here, making sure the safety, nobody smokes around here."
If there are not major safety measures taken, Marlett said the fireworks stand filled with explosives could, well, explode. He said, every morning, Fresno Fire has to give every fireworks stand the green light to open for the day. At closing time, Marlett said he and a group of volunteers from the Fresno Moose Lodge take all of the fireworks out of their wooden stand and double lock it in a nearby storage unit.
Martinez said even through we’re in a drought, she believes there is some time to have fun on Independence Day and support non-profits at the same time.
"Just be responsible, you know? Save the water, water your roofs, water your lawns," she said.
According to the city of Fresno’s website, all of the fireworks stands in Fresno are allowed to stay open from 9am to 10pm and they have a permit to sell until July 6.
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