Proposal to Legalize all Fireworks would Benefit Firefighters
Proposal to Legalize all Fireworks would Benefit Firefighters Save Email Print
Posted: 9:10 PM Aug 26, 2008
Last Updated: 9:10 PM Aug 26, 2008
Reporter: Kallie Cart
Email Address: kallie.cart@wsaz.com

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Every Fourth of July we hear from fire fighters about the dangers of fireworks.

But now there's a proposal in front of West Virginia lawmakers that would legalize nearly all types of fireworks.

The catch is the sale of the fireworks would help fund those fire fighters who for years have been warning against them.

The idea was proposed to lawmakers by retired chemical engineer Cliff Rotz, and it would help pay for firefighters’ pensions.

“This will legalize roman candles, rockets, mortars, shells and fire crackers and a few others; anything that flies or goes bang,” Rotz said. “Fireworks have become much much safer over the past few decades. The statistics show that injuries are down.”

The plan is to impose a 10 percent safety fee; generating about $1.3 million each year for firefighters’ pensions.

“Right now people are buying fireworks anywhere and West Virginia is losing the sales tax and this 10 percent safety fee,” Rotz said.

But firefighters aren’t sold on the idea.

“They’re talking about $1.3 million in tax revenue, but one fatality would totally negate that in terms of litigation,” Tom Miller, with the legislative committee of the firemen’s association, said. “Explosive fireworks have been shown in the hands of children to be inherently unsafe and part of this proposal is handing them out to kids under the age of 21 and requiring them to wear eye goggles, but it won’t help them if they blow off their hand.”

Now this is just a proposal. Rotz was asked to testify in front of a senate committee during the interim session by Raleigh County Senator Mike green, who says the idea is worth exploring.

A similar bill died in the last legislative session.

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Posted by: Sal on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:38 AM
I would like to propose a ban on motor vehicles. Does anyone remember the big 57 car pile up on highway 5 that happened last winter? If people had not been in vehicles that are moving 70 MPH, 12 people would not have died. Stuff happens. The bottom line is simple. Why not sell them in your state and keep the sales tax there? If people want fireworks, they are going to get them. Why not keep the sales tax revenues in your state. It makes perfect sense to me.

Posted by: mark on Aug 28, 2008 at 12:06 AM
considering that people go spend money out of state for fireworks and bring them back, the state might as well legalize them and get the tax benefits.

Posted by: boomer on Aug 27, 2008 at 07:47 PM
Boom...Pow...Ouch...Hello 911...Send help, I'm paying their wages.

Posted by: John on Aug 27, 2008 at 07:40 PM
To continue with my first post about increased fireworks safety. Of the 9,600 injuries from fireworks from the CPSC statistics, sparklers, which are legal in WV, account for 1,100 injuries. Half of sparkler injuries are to children under the age of 5. Who gives a glowing hot metal rod to a kid under 5, come on folks. A little common sense and good parenting would help more than laws banning fireworks. Here is a comparison of injury rates. CPSC's Injury Surveillance Report for the year 2000: Causes list per 100,000 emergency room treatments; fireworks-9, pens/pencils-35, skateboards-126, bicyles-847. Yes, our children are almost 4 times as likely to be injured with a writing utensil as a firework. And just so you know, I am not a part of the fireworks industry. I don't personally know any one who is. But, I am a professional firefighter. And on that note, fireworks caused 0.3% of all fires in 1997, electrical short circuits caused 7.5% of fires that same year.

Posted by: John on Aug 27, 2008 at 07:27 PM
I must reply. The facts are not being stated here. Fireworks are safer. This is due to many things. First is the banning, on Federal level, of M-80's, cherry bombs, and similar devices. This was done back in 1966. Since this ban, these items have been considered illegal explosives, there are serious federal consequences for having, making, or using these illegal items. Second reason for safer fireworks is the increased safety standards. These standards are enforced by the CPSC, consumer product safety commission. The CPSC inspects fireworks at the manufacturing stages and does routine inspections on incoming shipments. Still don't believe fireworks are safer, check the CPSC injury statistics. Since 1990-2004 the injuries from fireworks have went from 12,000 down to 9,600. Keep in mind that the CPSC even includes injuries from illegal explosives, such as M-80's and cherry bombs in the fireworks catagory.

Posted by: KG on Aug 27, 2008 at 05:18 PM
Why do you all keep bringing up that tragic Scott town fire? Yes it was a tragic loss for some people but it "WAS" an accident and they do happen. Will you ban the use of cars if your local dealership catches fire and someone dies? With you ban a fast food chain if a fire breaks out and someone dies there too? Of what about having a cigarette or talking on a cell phone while pumping gas as some of these "Certain Owners" do? This also poses a fire threat! But no one cares until something happens then all hell breaks out. Most states are in dire financial need today and are looking for any way to drum up some extra cash for their coffers. Firework usage has gone up 600% since 9/11 as citizens may be showing off their patriotism. Accidents/injuries have fallen steady over the past 10 years because they are safer today. Check out the AMA website, all the stats are there. The CPSC has tight regulations on what is safe and is not safe that comes into our country. Wake up Folks!!!!!!

Posted by: Mike on Aug 27, 2008 at 04:28 PM
I love when people make arguments about putting fireworks in the hands of children. DUH, THAT is illegal. Stupid people will still be stupid without fireworks and will find some way to hurt themselves. When used with common sense, they can be perfectly safe. But what do I know? I am just a licensed pyrotechnician, unlike the rest of you 'experts'. Keeping fireworks illegal only makes me more money in the long run.

Posted by: Ashley on Aug 27, 2008 at 02:35 PM
To FF> Statistics show anything you want them to. Don't be a fool and fall for that one.

Posted by: Anon on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:06 PM
You people need to slow down and read the article and put the blame where it actually belongs. It was proposed by a retired Chemical Engineer to WV Lawmakers as a way to shore up pensions. Lawmakers are looking at funding bottom lines only and not the "larger" picture. Bigger fireworks belong in the hands of Pyrotechnic Professionals, that's what they are trained to do. Fire-fighter's DID NOT propose this. If you read on in the article it states, "Fire-fighter's aren't sold on the idea". I wonder why? Could it be that Fire-fighter's through the years have seen first hand the effects of fireworks gone wrong? After all, they are the ones that respond for rescue and when something goes really wrong, they are the ones to literally pickup the pieces. I guarantee that there is not 1 fire-fighter that responded to the Scott Town fire that has forgotten the people they had to pack out. YOU NEVER FORGET. EVER.

Posted by: Leon on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Lets see now, it legal to carry a loaded firearm, but fireworks are too dangerous???

Posted by: Mark on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:13 AM
The fact of the matter is this: people are going out of state and spending their money earned here in WV. Yes accidents do happen and will happen whether we keep fireworks illegal or if they become legal. That is the problem with our state. We try to legislate stupidty to the point of penalizing ourselves and giving advantages to neighboring states. It's not going to stop or go away. We may as well legalize and keep the money in our state. If you don't like them, don't buy them.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:09 AM
I don't see why it matters. If you want fireworks all you have to do is take a short drive across the border and get them. I always bring some home when I'm on vacation as most people do.

Posted by: Dave on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:02 AM
I say go for it.I personally go and buy mine in Kentucky and ohio because you cant buy more than a sparkler or smoke bomb in WV.Matter of fact the guy across the street spent over 600 dollars in kentucky and brought them back here to set off (which i know is illegal to bring across state line)but do you really think people pay attention to that law? And my friends neighbor on rt.2 owns some kind of big company, he went to KY and spent 3500 dollars and had a big party @ his farm.So at least we would benefit someway from it.

Posted by: FF on Aug 27, 2008 at 06:46 AM
The statistics show that injuries are down because these types of fireworks are illegal and cannot be sold in the state.

Posted by: Isaac on Aug 27, 2008 at 05:02 AM
I never understood why some of the fireworks were illegal anyway? Heck you can go just about anywhere around the 4th and get all you want of any kind of firework! It is pretty stupid however for a firefighter to want something with fire in it's name to be legal, job security!!

Posted by: skip on Aug 27, 2008 at 03:09 AM
why not tax matches and lighters.if people had to pay ten dollars a lighter,there would be less fires.

Posted by: laney on Aug 27, 2008 at 01:55 AM
Where is this guy coming from??? Wanting to legalize fireworkd , they are no safer today then they were 20 years ago , Does he own a fireworks factory??? Does anyone remember Scottstown incident that killed 9 people because of a person that was talked into taking a cigg. into a place that sold fireworks?? This man must be a nut and stupid to make a statement like that and even suggest legalizing fireworks.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Excellent points Dave..

Posted by: Mark on Aug 26, 2008 at 11:44 PM
This is a ridiculous proposal that if passed will most undoubtably cause more fires and perhaps loss of life. The engineer cited in the article expounds on how much safer fireworks are these days. That is not the only safety issue to consider. User safety should be the primary consideration. Many users are minors that have no idea about safe usage of fireworks.

Posted by: Miss M on Aug 26, 2008 at 11:12 PM
I say it's a good thing, at least the firefighters will benefit. People who want those types of fireworks are gonna get somewhere. The firefighter deserve a pension and I think it is a good proposal.

Posted by: Dave on Aug 26, 2008 at 11:06 PM
The headline should read "Proposal to Legalize all Fireworks would bring Job Security to Firefighters". Does attaching taxes to bad things necessarily make them Good Things (tm)? With apologies to Bev, legalizing booze and tobacco bring a lot of tax revenue, so why not explosives? While we're at it, the tax dollars gained from crack and pot would be useful to hire more cops and firefighters. Never mind we'll probably need more of them.

Posted by: Brian on Aug 26, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Well it would give the Firefighters more to do when the idiots using them set the neighborhoods on fire. The the greedy trial lawyers could sue the fire dept's. for making them legal. Ya see, everybody's happy.

Posted by: Bev on Aug 26, 2008 at 09:49 PM
This is crazy! Why would any firefighter agree with legalizing something so dangerous? Do these people remember the Scott Town fire?? I remember every year because I have a friend who lost his son in it. The pain those families feel every day is not worth an increase in that pension plan. Hey, why don't we legalize crack too. I'm sure the police would love a bigger pension.

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