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| NY State releases PSA on fireworks safety BEFORE people buy fireworks for the 4th of July |
FOR RELEASE: 6/9/2005 |
Rochester man recounts horrific fireworks accident in
 | | Kenneth, a boy who attended the press conference at Women &
Children’s Hospital about fireworks and injury prevention, is shown the
dangers of fireworks by a City of Buffalo Fire Department Investigator. |
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Dr. Michael Caty, Surgeon-in-Chief, Women & Children’s Hospital,
was joined by Teresa A. Santiago, Chairperson of the New York State
Consumer Protection Board, Secretary of State Randy A.
Daniels, and Robert Stasio, Chief of Fire Prevention for the Buffalo Fire Department, to unveil a new public service announcement about the dangers of fireworks. The ad features a young man who lost his hand in a fireworks accident last year.
“This accident was both tragic and avoidable. It’s a story that we hope will shock people – both children and adults – into realizing that fireworks are too risky, too dangerous and simply illegal,”
said Teresa A. Santiago, Chairperson and Executive Director of the New York State
Consumer Protection Board (“CPB”).
In New York State last year, 20 people suffered moderate- to severe
burns from fireworks – up from 15 cases the year before. Burn
injuries have generally declined each year from a high of 43 in 1995, reflecting a national trend. Of the 20 injuries in 2004, more than half of those injuries (55 percent) were to children under age 18 and 60 percent occurred in July; 30 percent on July 4th.
 | | (L
to R): Dr. Michael Caty, Surgeon-in-Chief, speaks during a press
conference at Women & Children’s Hospital to promote the dangers of fireworks also attended by Robert Stasio, Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau of the Buffalo Fire Department, Randy Daniels, Secretary of State, Teresa Santiago, Chairperson & Executive Dir., NYS Consumer Protection Board, and Nancy E. Van Voorhees, NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control. |
Secretary of State Randy Daniels said, "While many people may find this
public service announcement very graphic, the reason for its release is
very clear. We are trying to prevent life altering
injuries. The Office of Fire Prevention and Control, which I
oversee, engages in numerous demonstrations and outreach efforts to
educate people about the dangers that fireworks present.
“This PSA will help immeasurably in our efforts, reminding
people not
to buy these dangerous fireworks and not to use them. Most
especially, we hope this ad will remind parents of the importance of
monitoring your children to make sure that they understand the dangers
of fireworks and that they do not make a tragic mistake, which will
affect their lives forever.”
"As the Regional Pediatric Trauma Center for Western New York, Women
& Children’s Hospital receives children every year
who are injured
by
fireworks," said Dr. Michael Caty, Surgeon-in-Chief, Women &
Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. "I strongly encourage every
parent to exercise extreme caution this upcoming July 4th
holiday. The best way to avoid serious injury is not to detonate
fireworks, especially anywhere near children."
Robert Stasio, Chief of Fire Prevention for the Buffalo Fire
Department, said, “it is a misdemeanor to own, use possess,
or sell
fireworks in New York State.”
Chief Stasio added, “Persons permitted to handle fireworks in
New York
State must obtain an ‘Own use and Possess’ license
for explosives from
The New York State Department of Labor and permits from the local
jurisdiction in which a fireworks display takes place.”
The Buffalo Fire Department issues approximately 50 permits every year
for fireworks displays in the City of Buffalo, Chief Stasio said,
“Check your local newspaper for listings and dates of legal
fireworks
displays in your area.”
Some types of fireworks are illegal in every state because they are
actually small explosives capable of maiming and even killing someone.
These include Cherry bombs, M-100’s, M-80’s and
M-60’s – the types of
explosives used by the man featured in the CPB’s new public
service
announcement.
The 30-year-old man from Rochester, New York, who requested anonymity,
was holding two M-80-type explosives when the accident occurred. One of
the M-80’s had a frayed wick and it caught fire when the
other M-80 was
lit.
“This man probably would have died if he had not pulled the
M-80 away
from his chest just before it exploded,” said Chairperson
Santiago. The
man admitted that he did not really know the power of the M-80 before
he obtained it from a friend. The friend purchased the explosives in
Pennsylvania.
While many fireworks are legal in Pennsylvania, explosives like M-80s
are not.
In New York, only sparklers less than 10-inches in length and less than
a quarter inch in diameter can be purchased and used legally.
– 30 –
The following is the audio and graphics for the 30 second Public
Service Announcement:
“Yeah, it was a small fuse and I didn’t know it was
lit.
“But I didn’t know it was going
to blow up my hand”
“It threw me to the ground and I all I could see was a bright
white light.”
(sound of fuse lighting and explosion)
"Yo - I think I just blew off my hand"
“I was out in front of the house telling people to help me
cuz it was hurting real bad.”
"Then I said, Joe, I told my cousin, that ’Yo, I think I just
blew off my hand’ and He was like ‘No,
no.”
Graphics: Fireworks – Too Risky / Too Dangerous / Simply
Illegal
A Message from the New York State Consumer Protection Board
Contact Information:
John Moscato
Phone: (716) 878-1660
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