LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

L.D. 83 “An Act to Legalize the Sale, Possession and Use of Fireworks”

OPPOSITION

The Pine Tree Burn Foundation is adamantly opposed to any effort to weaken the current law regarding the sale, possession and use of consumer fireworks in the State of Maine.  Presently, sparklers and caps are the only consumer fireworks allowed. 

Fireworks are enjoyable and exciting to watch, but each year they injure thousands of people, many of them children, and cause thousands of fires.  Federal and state laws prohibit the sale of certain types of fireworks, but even those that are legal can be dangerous.  For example, sparklers, which are legal in the majority of states, burn at temperatures of approximately 1,200 to 2,000 degrees. 

Statistics show that one out of every three people injured are children under the age of 15.  The injuries to children occur despite repeated and routine warnings printed on the packages of fireworks.  These warnings by the manufacturers themselves state that fireworks are not to be used by children. 

The Center for Disease Control’s Injury Center lists “availability” as the most significant factor in injuries from consumer fireworks.  To legalize fireworks would provide that availability resulting in injuries. 

In Maine, from 2000 to 2010, 58 fire incidents involving consumer fireworks were reported through the Maine Fire Incident Reporting System.  These incidents resulted in $232,842.00 in property damage and loss.  From 2003 through 2009, three individuals were admitted to Maine hospitals for serious fireworks related injuries and another 49 received outpatient treatment – and this is with consumer fireworks being illegal.  Nationally, the average fire loss is $15,600.00 per fire.  Any financial gain the State might realize from the sale of consumer fireworks could be easily wiped out in a single fire; and that does not even account for any injuries or deaths that might result. 

The Pine Tree Burn Foundation urges you not to support the weakening of this important fire and life safety law.  (print a copy of this statement)

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Gerald DiMillo – President

Janet Metcalf – Vice President

Annette DiMillo – Treasurer

Thomas Malcolm – Secretary

Dennis Bean

Muriel Britton – Emeritus

Arthur Cerullo – Emeritus

Kenneth Desmond

Miles Haskell

Heidi Leinonen

Nancy Loundsbury

David Saphier

Roy Siegfriedt

Gary Simard

Bradley Smith

Joseph Thomas

Pamela Tourangeau

Last modified: 17-March-2011