Columbia Fire officials issue fewer citations after stricter mask ordinance takes effect
Fire marshals only issued one citation after issuing 32 the weekend before
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Just days after the Columbia City Council strengthened its mask ordinance, more people could be seen covering their faces throughout the city.
The Columbia Fire Department says they only issued one citation for someone violating the ordinance this weekend, down from 32 during the weekend of Halloween.
Most of the enforcement took place in Columbia’s Five Points district, an area frequented by University of South Carolina students especially at night.
As more students venture out to bars each weekend, some fire officials grew concerned that safety was being placed on the back burner.
“We got complaints of lines forming outside of bars, of people going out for the night that were just too long, people standing too close together, and some people were not wearing masks,” said Mike DeSumma, the Public Information Officer with the Columbia Fire Department.
Just days after 32 people were cited for not wearing masks, the Columbia City Council expanded the city’s mask mandate to include outdoor spaces, and also raised the fine for not wearing a mask from $25 to $100.
“This contagion is real and easily transferable, and it’s really important if we decide to partake in social life, that we do it responsibly,” Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin told ABC Columbia shortly before the mandate was extended and expanded.
This weekend, fire marshals were walking up and down the streets of Five Points, checking to make sure people were wearing masks, only issuing one citation.
Some students told ABC Columbia that fire marshals politely warned students to put their masks on while they waited in line to go into bars.
Armed with a new mascot and some masks to give out to people, the department wanted to do their part to make sure people stayed safe.
“We really don’t want to issue citations to people,” DeSumma said. “We want everyone to go out and have a good time and do it safely, but really going forward, this ordinance is in place, we want people to take it seriously, and we want people to do everything they can to be in compliance.”
Other communities and counties, including Cayce, West Columbia, and Richland County, extended their mask ordinances. The Town of Lexington let their ordinance expire last week, but town leadership continues recommending that people wear masks within town limits.
