BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — While many families are getting ready to light fireworks this Fourth of July, another team is hard at work before the first fuse is ever lit.
Before sales even begin, Bakersfield fire inspectors inspect every permitted fireworks booth inside city limits to ensure it is safe, legal and ready to open.
Before the first customer arrives, each booth must pass inspection.
"We're going to start on the outside of the booth," inspectors tell operators as the process begins.
Bakersfield Fire Marshal Shane Gardner has been conducting these inspections for 15 years. His checklist starts before he even steps inside.
"We're going to inspect it, make sure there are no hazards immediately present," Gardner said. "Make sure their sleeping quarters are a minimum of 25 feet away, their generator is a minimum of 25 feet away, and overall the exterior portion of the booth is safe."
After checking the exterior, inspectors review paperwork, examine fire extinguishers and inspect every package of fireworks.
Inspectors look for any fireworks that cannot legally be sold within Bakersfield city limits, which can be challenging in areas where city and county boundaries overlap.
"I'm going to go through and look at all the fireworks, make sure there's no fireworks being sold that are illegal in the city of Bakersfield," Gardner said. "Look at their packaging and make sure these bigger packages don't contain any illegal fireworks for the city as well."
Gardner said finding illegal fireworks inside permitted booths is rare. In his 15 years conducting inspections, he has encountered only one case.
If inspectors find prohibited fireworks, they are confiscated and returned to the manufacturer.
The nonprofit organization operating the booth is not punished because, Gardner said, the mistake usually happens before the shipment ever arrives.
A booth that passes inspection means the fireworks inside meet California safety standards and can legally be used within Bakersfield city limits.
Gardner said the bigger concern is people selling illegal fireworks online.
"A lot of it is Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp," Gardner said. "A lot of people try to become very sneaky when selling illegal fireworks."
Those sales can lead to confiscated fireworks, hefty fines and even jail time.
Meanwhile, neighborhood fireworks booths are doing more than helping families celebrate Independence Day.
For many local schools and nonprofit organizations, fireworks sales serve as a major fundraiser.
"It's about a third of our total operating costs," said Randy Bennett, director of the Bakersfield High School Driller Band. "The flashy, cool, competitive stuff—that's what we're fundraising for."
Officials remind residents that every legal fireworks purchase not only helps keep Fourth of July celebrations safe but also supports programs throughout the community.
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