City of Long Beach Encourages Community to Celebrate Safely This Independence Day and All Summer Long
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The City of Long Beach is encouraging residents and visitors to celebrate safely this Fourth of July to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community. The City has launched its annual Celebrate Safely campaign to showcase the dangers of fireworks activity and encourage alternative fun, family-friendly ways to celebrate on Independence Day and all summer long. All personal fireworks, including sparklers and those labeled "safe and sane," are prohibited within Long Beach city limits.

Fireworks are a Fourth of July staple and an American pastime beloved by many; however, fireworks are not safe in the hands of consumers. Amateur fireworks can cause personal injury, property damage and pose a serious health risk for veterans, people experiencing post-traumatic stress and pets. Fireworks set off in residential neighborhoods, especially those that are loud and unexpected, can trigger flashbacks for veterans and gun violence survivors. The noise also creates panic for many animals and shelters fill with runaway pets every year.

The only safe way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a professional show. The City encourages residents and visitors to attend Long Beach's professional shows, taking place on Thursday, July 3, at 9 p.m. overlooking the Alamitos Bay Marina, and Friday, July 4 at 9 p.m. along the Downtown waterfront, or attend one of the many other professional fireworks shows throughout the region.

Here's how residents can get into the patriotic spirit, without fireworks:
  • Connect with neighbors by hosting a permitted block party. In an effort to support neighborhood activation and community, the City is waiving the $100 application fee for permitted block parties as well as barricade rental fees, which can be anywhere from $200 to $500. Available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. For more information and to apply residents may visit the City's Special Events and Filming website.
  • Host a fireworks-free backyard barbecue with family and friends.
  • Spend the day at the beach.
  • Go for a bike ride, hike or walk.
  • Have a water-balloon fight.
  • Enjoy an outdoor picnic in the park.
  • Host an outdoors movie marathon with family, friends or neighbors.
  • Have a fireworks-free backyard dance party with glow sticks, fiber optic wands or noise makers.
  • Make a patriotic craft with the family.
  • Throw a birthday party for the United States of America, complete with red, white and blue streamers and cake.

Fireworks Enforcement and Reporting Fireworks and Other Illegal Activity

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The City takes seriously the enforcement of firework activity. Under the City's enhanced fireworks ordinance (Municipal Code Section 8.81.060), if someone 'hosts' an event with fireworks – as in property owners, tenants, property managers, landlords or anyone who organizes, supervises, officiates, conducts, controls or is in charge of fireworks activity on a property – they could be held responsible and could be liable for all response costs, which can be upwards of $20,000 per response or more based on the response, in addition to other fines.

Each year, the City conducts community outreach to educate residents and encourage the reporting fireworks activity in Long Beach. Personnel from the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) and Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) visit permitted block parties to engage with residents, distribute handouts and remind people of the fireworks reporting options and the importance of the 'See Something, Say Something' philosophy, and LBPD Neighborhood Bike Safety Team officers also distribute informational leaflets. When a specific location can be identified for fireworks activity, the City Prosecutor's Office, with support from LBPD, issues letters to the associated property owners and tenants notifying recipients that the discharge of illegal fireworks constitutes a public nuisance and that prosecution under California Penal Code section 373a (with up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine) may commence if the public nuisance persists.

To prevent firework activity from taking place, the LBPD will conduct ongoing, citywide enforcement of firework activity in the weeks and days leading up to and on the Fourth of July. Anyone cited or arrested for fireworks violations may be faced with at least a $1,000 fine, sentenced to jail for six months, or both (Municipal Code Chapter 8.81).

In effort to garner reports of fireworks activity, which can contribute to the City's fireworks enforcement efforts, the City has made available multiple reporting options for the community to utilize including:
  • Go Long Beach. Submit a fireworks complaint by downloading the updated Go Long Beach App, available on Apple and Android, or directly on the Go Long Beach website.
  • Call the non-emergency number at the City's Communications Center at 562.435.6711 to report fireworks usage and/or sales. For emergencies, always dial 9-1-1.
  • Email the LBPD patrol division where the firework activity is occurring and provide any details, such as addresses, videos, license plates, photos, or any other information that can be investigated. Please include your name, address and phone number so that you can be contacted, if necessary:

The City also reminds the community that "celebratory" gunfire is considered an illegal discharge of a firearm and is very dangerous. Discharging a firearm for celebratory purposes could result in injury or death to innocent residents, and jail time for the offenders.

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Additional tips for community members to stay safe this Independence Day and all summer long – including pet preparedness and safety, grilling, swimming and sun safety tips and resources – are available at longbeach.gov/fireworks.

As part of the Celebrate Safely campaign, themed messaging will be showcased on the City's social media pages in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July. Residents can also expect to see digital signs around the city, including digital freeway billboards, signage on City-operated vehicles and public transit interior bus cards. The Celebrate Safely flyer, available in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog, and coloring sheets are also available for public download and use at longbeach.gov/fireworks.

The Celebrate Safely campaign is a year-round effort, with a concentrated focus around the Fourth of July holiday, to inform the community that all fireworks are illegal in Long Beach.

Media inquiries may be directed to the Office of Public Affairs and Communications at LongBeachMedia@longbeach.gov.

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