Fireworks a bust or someone hurt?

[cannon_fodder]

Great point Waterboy.

It costs $15,000 to rent the air conditioned BOk Center complete with cleanup, security, and everything else needed (per the Taylor wedding "scandal") to host 10,000 of your friends.  Why does it cost $55,000 to host people outside?  I understand there are more people, but you also don't have lighting costs, air conditioning, or the fixed cost of having a $180,000,000 building.  Nor are your people confined in a building, they are in public and often on their own property or in a friends apartment.  Certainly it requires far less security per person than in a venue like the BOk center.

Reports place the annual crowd around 80,000 people.  At $55,000 it isn't that much per person to put on the show really.  With port-a-potties, cleanup, extra insurance, security . . . I'm sure it goes fast.

But still, I'd be very interested to see where that $55,000 goes.

[Conan71]

You'd think with a $55K production budget they could have gotten the word out better that the show was starting 1/2 hour early.  The whole production this year just seems to have been boned from the git-go.  This also is not the first year we've had a last-minute financial "Hail Mary" that saved the day and made the fireworks happen.  We've had really good shows even in those last minute years.

[ARGUS]

In light of what happened and how it happened: Civil fireworks shows should have a beginning and an ending. Much like a building being demolished there is a warning siren and a "all-clear" siren. There should be somthing very similar for civil fireworks shows.
A 5 minute to blast off and a "range all clear" signal.
I'm just sayin'

[MDepr2007]

In light of what happened and how it happened: Civil fireworks shows should have a beginning and an ending. Much like a building being demolished there is a warning siren and a "all-clear" siren. There should be somthing very similar for civil fireworks shows.
A 5 minute to blast off and a "range all clear" signal.
I'm just sayin'

They have one for the start, when the lights go out it's about to start

[waterboy]

When that first boomer goes up...the show starts. But we could utilize the lunch whistle over at the refineries to signal the end of the show or, God forbid, an emergency signal.

As many of you know, I am skeptical of the operations at RPA. The same rumors that circulate about any authority or county operation have been uttered about them. I give those criticizms no substance unless it is first hand stuff. My biggest complaint is that there is little oversight for them and they operate as quasi-public, quasi-private. The fact that they utilize a lot of private funding does not assuage my discomfort. Its public lands they are using.  Our city/county taxes are also part of their funding but the private $$ swing the dog.

Regardless, this was a screw up. Poor co-ordination and uncertain starting times. Poor sponsorship. People were mad. A lot of work to park in surrounding hoods, trudge with kids, chairs and ice chests, while dodging cars, find a good spot....then find out you missed most of it.

A good exec would have pulled the plug early when it looked like the benefits were exceeded by the cost. Unless some of those benefits and some of those costs are not directly evident. Just like the fair, there are a lot of people who get benefit when they come to town. No doubt the pressure was on from them to put on a show, any show.

And the excess money? Not returned, simply credited for next years show. You just have to take their word for that.

[tim huntzinger]

Wait what? The Fire Department violated City code and did not inspect the rig! Because of budget cuts!  Oh, here, make sure to read this carefully because maybe I am just being a crank: http://clkurl.com/?637947.  Oh, and lookee here: http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Fireworks-Fiasco-Raises-Questions/t3L2qiNNyEmMGncW-_6pBg.cspx?rss=77.  Huge butt hat-tip to KTUL and KOKI for actually getting their heads out of the sand and digging around! Now, will they ask where the TPD Chief was, and where the TFD Chief was? The single largest event in our City's year and the two top safety officers were where?

Does the City even have an evacuation plan for the event? Or does that fall on the sponsoring organization? Is ONEOK sure they want to proceed with the ballpark and this City?

[cannon_fodder]

Is ONEOK sure they want to proceed with the ballpark and this City?

No, I think because a pyrotechnics company had a malfunction that cut a fireworks show short a major corporation will probably pull its sponsorship of the ballpark and likely move all operations out of the city.

You were so close to making a good point.  Then you took this wild tangent.  So close.

[tim huntzinger]

No, I think because a pyrotechnics company had a malfunction that cut a fireworks show short a major corporation will probably pull its sponsorship of the ballpark and likely move all operations out of the city.

You were so close to making a good point.  Then you took this wild tangent.  So close.

So how much does the permit bring the City? That is an interesting follow-up reply.  Maybe asking what the point is of even requiring the permit if the TFD has no clue what they are looking for.  Where were the respective chiefs of our safety departments?  Never mind that, CF, focus on your pettiness.  Focus.

I cannot help it if I am the one who asked the question about the TFD's role in the 'fiasco.'  Not my place to question if Tulsans were in danger and why the TPD was not able to initiate an orderly evacuation.  Why the heck does downtown look like a disaster scene every time the BOK has an event?

[cannon_fodder]

No.  I applaud your efforts into looking into TFD/TPD planning for this event.  It was the wild tangent about ONEOK leaving Tulsa and/or pulling sponsorship for the ballpark because of it that I was criticizing. 

[Townsend]

 

Not my place to question if Tulsans were in danger and why the TPD was not able to initiate an orderly evacuation.

Evacuation?  Evacuation of what?  Was there some sort of disaster?

Why the heck does downtown look like a disaster scene every time the BOK has an event?

It doesn't.

[tim huntzinger]

No.  I applaud your efforts into looking into TFD/TPD planning for this event.  It was the wild tangent about ONEOK leaving Tulsa and/or pulling sponsorship for the ballpark because of it that I was criticizing. 

Once KTUL and KOKI do the story you cared.  Otherwise the Question of the Day was answering the obvious: is RPA going to get stuck with the whole bill.  Wow.  Toughie.

Anyway, gotta go for the day, ya'll git together and deflect as much as possible, y'hear?

[cannon_fodder]

Yep.  Once you cited a credible source for your accusations I paid attention to you.  You should try it more often.

[waterboy]

The focus should be on one simple question. Who was in charge?

That leads to the other questions like:
Who made the decision to go forward with a low budget, low return, high cost program?
Who should have been in charge?
Who set up the poor communications network and where were they when stuff started to happen?
Who made the decision to start the fireworks early?
Who decided the public should not be told it was over?

We were lucky. We've been lucky with this program for many years. If these rockets had started going horizontal, we're talking CNN news crews delivered by helicopter. Helicopters and planes buzz the area as private contractors sell aerial views and risk crashing into crowds. Traffic in neighborhoods is often gridlocked and angry. Pedestrians are at risk going back to find their cars in the dark.

And for what? It made sense when there were beaux coups sponsors who wanted to pony up for all the good PR and product selling opportunities, but that time has passed. You mentioned 80,000 attendees CF. That is down from the 150,000 that showed up when I ran boats over there. People visit other displays around the city now. There was a time when $300,000 was reported as the cost of the fireworks and support systems. Now its $100,000? And the support cost is over half of that?

This lays squarely on Matt Meyer and his band of sycophants, otherwise known as the board. It was an unneccessary risk and I suspect he did it to keep money flowing into the hands of the parties outlined above. His Authority is about as prepared for crises as Brownie was for Katrina.

[tim huntzinger]

Accidents happen.  Cry me a river. Boooooo hoooooo!

I wish for that $55k we would have had a thorough inspection, specially since we charged for it.  I wish that $55K would have bought a PSA for the attendees that the gig was over.  Wish we public safety officers in charge who would see that as their place to be.

Oh, and everytime there is a BOK event the entire area is sealed off, cops with their gumball lights all on like there was an accident.  Lucky I know downtown, because going to events in this town is a crapshoot.

[MDepr2007]

Why was it over after the explosion? Didn't I hear there was supposed to be a concert after the fireworks? This concert was mentioned as a reason they thought traffic problems after the fireworks could be lessened, because of those staying for the concert.

What's with the media stealing using the Youtube videos to show the explosion without getting permission or even paying the owner. Maybe not illegal via youtube but you sure can't do it with their(media) videos.