KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Starting today (Monday) Kodiak residents will be allowed to shoot off fireworks outside city limits. This is the first year for a borough ordinance that makes firework use legal only during certain times of the year.
Kodiak Island Borough Code Enforcement Officer Jack Maker says that while there are no hard and fast rules about what time of day fireworks can be enjoyed, he offers this advice.
— (Fireworks 1 :23 "They should be considerate of the surrounding neighborhood and their neighbors if they’re firing them off at home. And if they’re firing them off the beach they gotta think of, like, Mill Bay Beach, that’s near a residential area. It’s just a common courtesy thing. Think about how you would like it if someone was blasting off fireworks near your house and you gotta get up in the morning.")
Being considerate of your neighbors also means being considerate of their pets, says Karen Yashin. Yashin is the board president of the Humane Society of Kodiak. She adds that pet owners can prepare themselves for potential upsets.
— (Fireworks 2 :38 "When it goes on and on and on and it’s noisy for days it’s not only nerve wracking for people who like quiet, but it’s also detrimental to animals. If you know you have an animal that’s really nervous about fireworks, to protect them by putting them in a room that is quiet. They shouldn’t be outdoors. They could run away, get into trouble. Cats and dogs have been known to show up at the shelter days later. They can get hit by a car when they’re running. I just think if you know your animals get nervous over fireworks you need to do some proactive work thinking about it."
Sale and use of fireworks are allowed outside city limits from today until January 1st. During the summer they are allowed June 15th through July 15th. You can find a link to the borough code regarding fireworks and this story on our website at KMXT dot org.
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