Meridian Police Department Chief Benny DuBose realizes the night sky leading up to and immediately after the Fourth of July will be punctuated with the lights and sounds of fireworks.
He also knows as his patrolmen enforce a city ordinance prohibiting the shooting of fireworks in the city of Meridian the MPD will be seen as a party pooper to some — including children.
Nevertheless, the city ordnance is in place and it is the duty of MPD officers to enforce it, he said.
"Sometimes we have to protect the public from themselves," said DuBose, as the holiday weekend approaches. "We've got to do it even though we know it will disappoint some of the children and parents."
One of the unique qualities of the city of Meridian is there are countless acres of wooded areas within the city limits. These wooded areas are close to homes and other property. A scenario in which several acres of woods and heavy undergrowth catch fire and begin to blaze out of control threatening lives, homes and neighborhoods is something Meridian Fire Department Chief Jeff Homan would rather not think about.
"But of course we do have to think about it," said Homan. "An errant bottle rocket or something larger could very easily land in a pile of pine straw and before you know it you have a woods blaze on your hands. This is just another danger the ordnance was intended to prevent."
Although Homan said the MFD can fight woods fires within the city limits, they really aren't suited for such an incident. He said there is no way to get the heavy municipal firefighting equipment into the woods. There is a small truck armed with foam that could make a difference on a fire that hadn't spread too large but there is no way to plan for every kind of hazard or incident.
"We have called in the bulldozers from the Mississippi Forestry Commission in the past to cut fire lanes but the best way to fight those sorts of fires is to not have one in the first place. Prevention is always the best route," Homan said.
DuBose said if someone is caught shooting fireworks of any kind within the city limits of Meridian the parents of the child will be notified of the ordinance and the repercussions of noncompliance. If a second call has to be made to the same location, the fireworks will likely be confiscated and the parents could be issued a misdemeanor charge.
But for those out in the county areas, fireworks can still be fired. County fire officials caution, however, extremely dry conditions are in place. Officials said to have a water source close by in case the fireworks do catch grass on fire. And above all else, read the directions on the fireworks for proper handling guidelines, officials said. Always have a parent supervising the fireworks especially where small children are involved, they said.
Fireworks Ordinance:
According to Meridian Code, Sec. 16-17
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, barter, exchange, give away or distribute, or use or explode within the city any skyrockets, firecrackers, torpedoes, Roman candles, or other explosives commonly known as fireworks, but nothing herein shall prohibit the sale of such commodities by regular wholesalers to dealers outside the city, nor shall this section prohibit licensed displays as provided for in chapter 20 of the Standard Fire Prevention Code.
(b) Any person who violates the terms and provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable as provided in section 1-9 of this Code, and each separate sale shall be and constitute a separate offense.
The ordnance has been in place since 1962.
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Shooting fireworks this Fourth?
MPD chief says ordnance will be enforced
- Local News
-
-
High Honor
The flowers and balloons Crestwood Elementary School Principal Kimberly Kendrick received at school Monday were not an early Valentines' Day gift.
Kendrick has been named Meridian Public School District's 2012 Administrator of the Year – an announcement that both surprised and wowed the 17-year veteran educator when made by MPSD Superintendent Dr. Alvin Taylor. -
Master Dance Class
-
Digital system promises better communication
Hopefully in the near future you won't hear someone in the emergency services ask over the radio, "Can you hear me now?"
A digital communications system, one which is being pushed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), is a few months away and, in some cases, is already in the testing phase in Lauderdale County. -
Inmate escapes custody
Mississippi Department of Corrections officials said Monday afternoon an inmate escaped from custody Friday and is still being sought.
Officials said Johnny Hall Jr. escaped from two Wilkinson County Correctional Facility officers’ custody while being escorted from his father’s wake at the Picayune Funeral Home in Picayune. Preliminary information indicates Hall left the officers and jumped into a waiting black vehicle with a white female driver. -
Citizen’s Police Academy begins today
The work law enforcement conducts on a daily basis is often misunderstood by the general public.
Officials at the Meridian Police Department developed a program to inform and educate citizens on what police do in serving and protecting the population. The program, The Citizen's Police Academy, has been gaining speed for a couple of years since it was first offered. Officials said it shows residents are interested in police work and how it is conducted. - Woman: decongestant brought meth charge in Alabama
-
Star Of The Week: Dominique Goodwin-Jenkins
-
SoMiSPO brings steel drum rhythms to MCC
-
About face
Nothing is forever in the military and after a months-long battle to secure a C-27J Spartan flying mission and its field training unit at Key Field and the 186th Air Refueling Wing, it seems all of that is flying the way of the KC-135 tankers that used to fill the skies over Meridian.
- Marriages & Divorces: Sunday, February 5, 2012
- More Local News Headlines
-
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
