City of Salinas Fireworks Enforcement Operations – After Action Report August 9
2022
Contents
EXPLANATION OF TERMS 3
INTRODUCTION 4
AFTER ACTION REPORT OVERVIEW 5
STRENGTHS 15
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT 15
RECOMMENDATIONS 16
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS 16
IMPROVEMENT PLANNING MATRIX 17
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Examples:
AAR After Action Report
CAD Computer Aided Dispatch
COS City of Salinas
EOC Emergency Operations Center
SFD Salinas Fire Department
SPD Salinas Police Department
SCE Salinas Code Enforcement
SPW Salinas Public Works
OCA Office of the City Attorney
ECD Emergency Communications Department
IC Incident Command
ICP Incident Command Post
ICS Incident Command System
NGEN Next Generation Emergency Network
RP Reporting Party
INTRODUCTION
This report summarizes the various strategies used to enforce current laws and ordinances respective of illegal fireworks in the City of Salinas and will serve to highlight the relative successes and areas for improvement for future operations.
Focus:
Prevention / public outreach
Enforcement of illegal activity
Incident Response / mitigation
Classification:
Unclassified
For Official Use Only (FOUO)
By Invitation Only
Operation, Activity or Scenario:
Fire
Law Enforcement Action
Severe Weather
Hazardous Material Release
Bomb Threat
Medical Emergency
Evacuation
Lockdown
Special Event
Exercise/Drill
Other
Statistical information for this report was collected from CAD records, and the various reporting platforms for the period of June 1, 2022 through July 15, 2022.
AFTER ACTION REPORT OVERVIEW
This report is a compilation of information from the different departments and staff who participated in the enforcement operations and public outreach campaigns. The information was gathered by the Salinas Fire Department (SFD), the Salinas Police Department (SPD), Salinas Public Works Department (SPW), Monterey County Emergency Communications Department (ECD), and Mag One Media Group.
The overall strategy for the public outreach campaign and enforcement plan was a collaborative effort on behalf of the SFD Prevention Division and the SPD Special Operations and Patrol Units, in collaboration with the City Council Fireworks Sub-Committee.
The recommendations in this AAR should be viewed with considerable attention to the needs for a safe and livable community. In some cases, departments may determine that the benefits of implementation are insufficient to outweigh cost or pose a considerable safety risk for staff or the public. In other cases, departments may identify alternative solutions that are more effective. However, each department should review the recommendations and determine the most appropriate action and time needed for implementation.
The issues addressed in this AAR should be reviewed and thoroughly examined for the appropriation of needed resources to ensure the functions of incident response, stabilization and enforcement are safe, efficient, and effective.
Operational Overview:
Starting in June 1st, a multi-media campaign was launched to increase involvement from residents in the reporting of illegal fireworks use. Building on the positive outcome realized in 2018 and 2019, large signs were again placed at key intersections throughout the city promoting the various methods of reporting illegal fireworks use. This was further publicized in a broad social media campaign, print press, and broadcast news outlets. A detailed statistical analysis is attached.
This campaign proved ongoing success in routing complaints received through the www.salinasfireworks.com website, the “Salinas Connect” application, as well as the voicemail and text tip line.
Based on the lessons learned from the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons, undercover patrols were deployed on the holiday to corroborate citizen tips from the salinasfireworks.com website, voicemail, and text reports.
The Salinas Police Department deployed teams of uniformed officers. Coordinating with Fire Prevention staff via the encrypted radio network, resources patrolled areas where increased activity was evident and collected evidence to support the issuance of administrative citations after the fact. SPD issued some citations during the enforcement period.
Citizen participation in reporting illegal fireworks use dropped by nearly 50% from last year. This drop can be attributed to multiple factors including success of our campaign, inflation across many sectors like fuel and fireworks, and the holiday falling on a Monday. The “Salinas Connect” application served as the primary repository for all illegal fireworks reports and residents could upload pictures and video evidence to support the reports. Home surveillance systems captured several instances of illegal activity.
ADMINISTRATIVE CITATIONS
For the period of June 1st through July 15th, the total number of Administrative Citations referred to the Office of City Attorney was 131.
Administrative fines remained unchanged from the previous year at $1,250 for the “Use, Possession, or Sale of Illegal Fireworks”.
In some cases, multiple fines were assessed where illegal activity was documented over several days. The highest single citation amount was $12,500.
Disputed citations are administered by the Fire Prevention Division through the Administrative Hearing process.
Statistical Information:
Duration:
June 1st – July 15th, 2022
Funding Sources 2021 2022
“Safe & Sane” retail fireworks booth application fees: $7,508 $6,905* “Safe & Sane” fireworks retail sales surcharges (7% of gross): $74,405 $76,595* Illegal fireworks fines collected through Administrative Citations: $24,050 $70,170 Total Estimated Revenue $105,963 $153,670
*- Information as provided by wholesalers TNT and Phantom Fireworks.
Enforcement and Education Expenses
2021 2022
Fire Department Overtime: $7,340 $14,645
Police Department Overtime: $7,922 $10,129
Code Enforcement Overtime: $1,346 $752 Public Works Overtime: $918 $918
MoCo 911 Overtime: N/A – Limited Staff N/A – Limited Staff Outside Services: $19,999 $17,850 Vehicle Rental: $1,142 $1,478
Sign Printing: $1,353 N/A
Movie Theater Ads N/A N/A
Video Equipment N/A N/A
__________________________________________________________ Total Expenses: $40,110 $45,772
FIREWORKS SALES AND SURCHARGE
TNT Fireworks Sales - 2022
Non- Profits
Net Sales
Retail Sales
7% Surcharge
Alisal High School
$44,906
$89,812
$6,287
EAHS
$29,918
$59,836
$4,189
Salinas City Virtual Academy
$35,021
$70,042
$4,903
Alvarez Titans Youth
$41,165
$82,330
$5,763
Rancho San Juan High
$30,794
$61,588
$4,311
Madonna del Sasso School
$41,386
$82,772
$5,794
Salinas Upper Room Church
$37,903
$75,806
$5,306
Notre Dame High School
$25,101
$50,202
$3,514
Sacred Heart School
$32,123
$64,246
$4497
Palma High School
$44,313
$88,626
$6,204
North Salinas High School
$43,119
$86,238
$6,037
Salinas High School
$36,250
$72,500
$5,075
TOTAL
$441,999
$883,998
$61,880
Phantom Fireworks Sales - 2022
NON-PROFITS
RETAIL SALES
7% Surcharge
Confidence Pregnancy Center
$ 47,285.28
$ 3,309.97
Mt Toro High
School
$ 53,634.02
$ 3,754.38
Ernie Camacho Ed. Foundation
$60,835.82
$ 4,258.51
LULAC
$ 48,458.72
$ 3,392.11
TOTALS
$ 210,213.84
$ 14,714.97
Salinas Fire Department Operations
During this period in 2022, SFD responded to nearly 2,300 emergency incidents. A breakdown of the fire incidents with previous years’ data is provided as follows:
2021 2022
Structure Fires: 55 56
Vegetation Fires: 40 40
Misc. Fires (Dumpsters, etc.): 48 38
For the period of July 4th, the SFD staffed 1 additional apparatus with 3 personnel, 1 Chief officer and 5 Fire Prevention personnel to respond to increased calls for service and patrol the target threat areas. The Salinas Police Department deployed 4 Sargent’s and 13 additional officers on July 4th. Of those additional officers, four were assigned to the UAV teams. Code Enforcement added two additional members to observe and report.
Salinas Fire responded to 1 structure fire in the city and sent one engine to Gonzales, on a mutual aid request for a structure fire. SFD responded to 1 vegetation fires and 2 other fires on July 4.
Special Event After Action Report
Please complete this report in as much detail as possible. The information provided helps keep a record of events and assists with the planning of this event and similar activities in the future.
Name of Event
Fireworks Enforcement
Date/Day/Time of Event
7/4/22 1600-0100
Number of Attendees
25- SFD, SPD, CE, City Staff
Age Range
25-55
Number of Officers
4 sergeants, 13 officers enforcing
Number of Security
Promoter philosophy toward criminal acts – gangs, etc.
Number and type of ejections
Number and type of arrests
Injured persons/Medical response
Behavior of crowd
Was there orderly departure at end
Submitted By:
Sgt. Stephen Sparks
AAR:
The police department in conjunction with the SFD Prevention staffed this event with three sergeant’s and thirteen officers. Four of the officers were assigned to UAV teams. All the staffing for this event were ordered into work.
County Comm was briefed on this event and designated Channel 2 for the units working this detail. We briefed at SFD Station 1 in conjunction with SFD, Fire Prevention, and Code Enforcement personnel.
It quickly became apparent that many illegal fireworks deployed in the city were being deployed from residential back yards. Most aerial fireworks were launched one at a time and not in strings of multiple projectiles, making it extremely difficult to determine their launching point. Additionally, many of the individuals deploying illegal fireworks did so in a very sporadic manner with one or two aerials launched from apparently the same location over the course of an hour. With multiple people in the same area launching aerials, the sounds were continuous however the launch locations were normally separated by two or three streets.
Recommendations:
This event would benefit greatly from at least four additional officers for a total staffing of eight officers and one sergeant.
As was mentioned in my AAR from August 2021, I believe the greatest asset would be drone pilots embedded in the enforcement team. This would allow the deployment of the drone in a problem area where the drone pilot would be able to identify and vector the enforcement units to the correct location. Additionally, captured video evidence from the drone would be extremely useful in ensuring the correct persons were held accountable for their actions.
It quickly became apparent that most illegal fireworks deployed in the city were being deployed from residential back yards. Most aerial fireworks were launched one at a time and not in strings of multiple projectiles, making it extremely difficult to determine their launching point. Additionally, many of the individuals deploying illegal fireworks did so in a very sporadic manner with one or two aerials launched from apparently the same location over the course of an hour. With multiple people in the same area launching aerials, the sounds were continuous however the launch locations were normally separated by two or three streets.
Four citations for illegal fireworks were written and nine reports for administrative citations were generated during this event.
CALL VOLUME
7/4/22
Number of calls received by County Communications 264
Number of calls Fireworks Enforcement officers responded to 48 5-02.19 SCC Administrative Reports generated 32
Fireworks confiscated None
STRENGTHS
Adequate Funding from existing fees, surcharges, and fines.
Participation from the Code Enforcement Division and Public Works Departments alleviated the excessive burden of limited SFD and SPD resources.
Comprehensive media coverage to include social media, led to a significant increase in citizen-based tips from the “neighborhood approach”. Overall calls to 911 decreased.
Undercover operations to “observe and report” led to Administrative Citations with better evidentiary support.
Integration of the Salinas Connect reporting platform provided detailed information for follow-up.
Additional signage was placed at high visibility areas and intersections of the city.
Advance warnings sent to addresses where illegal fireworks were reported last year helped to deter activity in certain areas.
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
Participation from organized neighborhood and citizens’ groups was solicited with little to no response or action.
Limited staff was physically available for patrols.
Collection and sorting of data from various sources of intelligence remains a manual process and is labor intensive.
Manual review of video evidence is also time consuming and delays issuance of Administrative Citations.
Sharing of text and voice tips to salinasfireworks.com will improve with assistance from IT More real time integration between tips and enforcement, starting in June.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Continue attempts to engage neighborhood groups and citizens in “observe and report” roles and the distribution of signage.
Increase publicity of undercover activity and citation statistics in traditional and social media.
Consider a “reward” system for tips leading to successful citation of individuals and property owners where illegal fireworks are used. Rewards could be funded with successfully collected fines.
Re-consider “Social Host Ordinance”
Increase fines related to fireworks violations as a deterrent.
Work with community groups to establish a community-based organized fireworks display to discourage “at-home” use of illegal fireworks.
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS
Continued collaborative efforts in this years’ campaign proved to be a positive influence toward curbing illegal fireworks use in the City of Salinas. The goal of these programs continues to focus on changing social consciousness at the individual and neighborhood level. It should be acknowledged that this is an ongoing process over several years but marked decreases in activity were noted this year.
The improvement in the quality of citizen reports is a positive indicator of the success of these efforts. The increase in citations with actionable evidence is another product of better collaboration between City departments in a coordinated fashion.
Future years’ plans will build on these successes and the Council Fireworks Subcommittee and City staff will remain engaged with constituents to discuss and implement recommendations to bring about a social change and improve the quality of life for the residents of Salinas.
IMPROVEMENT PLANNING MATRIX
IMPROVEMENT PLANNING MATRIX
Area of Improvement
Improvement Action
Responsible Party/Areas
Targeted Completion Date
Status
Neighborhood Involvement
Solicit more participation in outreach and volunteer patrol Council/Community Safety Div.
4/2022
Ongoing
Limited Patrol Staffing
Increase staffing where possible
SFD/SPD/SCED
7/2022
Ongoing
Integration with “Salinas Connect”
Further refine automated responses and reports
Administration Div./SFD Prevention Div.
5/2019
100% complete
Data Collection and Sorting
Staff collaboration to merge data sources
Administrative Div./SFD Prevention
6/2019
100% complete
Multi-Unit Dwelling Enforcement
Identify better methods for citations of individuals
SFD/City Attorney/ SPD/SCE/ Council FW Subcommittee
1/2022
Ongoing
Limited Administrative Support
Identify existing staff resources to assist
SFD/Administrative Div./FW Sub-Committee/ SCE/ City Attorney 10/2022
In-process
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