Fires In Idaho

Amid rockets' red glare, law looks the other way on Fourth

Idaho's fireworks laws, drafted in 1997, allow for most types of pyrotechnics. Here are the outlawed items for the Gem State:

• Firecrackers, cannon crackers, giant crackers, salutes, silver tube salutes, cherry bombs, mines, ground bombardment, grasshoppers and other explosive articles of similar nature

• Fireworks that rise in the air during discharge, such as skyrockets

• Fireworks that discharge balls of fire into the air, such as Roman candles

• Fireworks that dart or travel about the surface of the ground during discharge, such as chasers and whistles

• Snakes and hats containing bichloride of mercury

• Sparklers more than 10 inches in length or one-quarter inch in diameter

• Aerial shells and fire balloons

Brian Weaver knows about Idaho’s legal loophole for aerial fireworks.

He knows that anyone can buy the outlawed goods — commonly defined as anything that leaves the ground before exploding — as long as they sign a waiver promising not to ignite them in the Gem State.

Weaver’s family owns Red Dragon Outlet Fireworks, which has temporarily set up shop in the parking lot of the former Rite Aid pharmacy at Twin Falls East Five Points intersection. Although they could stock the stand’s shelves with skyrockets and hand out blank affidavit forms to customers, they believe in enjoying the holiday safely. They know that the arid Idaho summer makes this region ripe for fires that ignite from aerial fireworks landing in dry grass or on rooftops.

But drive around any Idaho community around July 4 and watch as small bursts of contraband fireworks light up the nighttime skies.

Twin Falls Fire Marshal Jim Auclaire said on Friday that state legislators haven’t been keen on closing the loophole, despite requests from the state fire chiefs association. The crime has become so common that area police and fire departments can hardly enforce the law.

“On the night of the Fourth, (complaints) can double or triple our calls,” said Sgt. Dan Thom of the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office. “Some of those, we can’t even respond. We try to focus on anything harmful to the community.”

In other words, don’t expect an officer to knock on your door unless you damage a neighbor’s property or start a fire. More than ever, police manpower is diverted for roadway safety during the holiday.

There is more emphasis placed on drunk driving patrols to ensure families arrive at their destinations safely. Also, police are needed for traffic control at large community events, like town-sponsored fireworks shows.

Rural north Idaho fire district pays chief $80000 annually ...

, Mike Tucker, the head man at the Westside Fire District, has made that wage for the past four years.

The rural fire department seemingly doesn’t have much work.  According to Tucker, Westside took 75 calls in 2010, and have taken 36 so far in 2010.

A look a neighboring fire department might be able to give a clue as to how much work Tucker and his team do at Westside. Jim Walcker, chief at Shoshone Fire District No. 1 in Osburn, makes $45,000 annually. The Shoshone Fire District, which covers an area with about four times the population of Dover, responded to 350-400 calls last year, the majority of which were requests for medical service only.

The head of another nearby fire agency, Robert Webber of the Sagle Fire District, makes $52,000 annually. Sagle, with a population of about 5,600, is about 14 times the size of Dover. According to records, Sagle took 634 calls in 2010.

But how does Tucker’s salary compare with a chief at a bigger department? According to spokesman Adam Park, Boise fire chief Dennis Doan makes $109,056 annually. Doan is tasked with managing 263 firefighters in his department.

Records show that in 2010, the Boise Fire Department responded to more than 18,000 calls.

Conversely, Tucker is responsible for himself, two other paid employees, and a team of about 15 volunteers. In addition, Westside is tasked with watching over 15,000 acres of wild lands susceptible to wild fires.

Calls to Westside fire commissioners for an explanation of the large salary were not returned Tuesday.

How is this news (1) without an explanation of WHAT records were relied upon to come up with the salary numbers, (2) the additional records under the records request for proper perspective, and (3) without comment by Tucker or the Fire Commissioners or, well, ANYONE.

What is the takeaway here? Dover is overpaid? Osburn and Sagle are underpaid? (It’s Osburn, I think, not Osborn, BTW.) “Medical service only” is a lesser emergency call?

As usual, this is not so much journalism as it is insinuation. Frankly, I’m not surprised nobody returns your calls.

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