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Home My WebLink AboutItem 21 Correspondence from Leslie Markham, Springfield, Oregon Regarding Fireworks in Springfield 'TO: MA Yl{) R A N~ viA'] (0 tJ AJ CI L-.. 7/ It I 0 7 I am urging the City Council to take a stand to make Springfield a safer place for everyone next July, by banning the sale of fireworks for private use. It is not only the noise and dangers on July 4th, but the setting off of fireworks as early as two weeks prior to and for two weeks after the 4th. This puts an incredible emotional strain and sometimes physical toll on our residents who don't appreciate the noise or having to be kept up until early hours in the a.m Fireworks exert a tremendous toll on our pets as well. My cats have been so stressed they wouldn't eat-and my dogs have had to be tranquilized sometimes for days. With older animals this can be extremely dangerous. Fireworks stress our City resources as well. The statistics are in---throughout the state in 2006 -- . there were 283 fires up 46% from '05 causing more than $l million in damage. 85% of these fires occurred between June 1 and July 31 (Register Guard, July 3,2007) . this year we have had the tragic death of a 4- year-old in Springfield where he was able to come in contact with fireworks. I am troubled by the increase in the use of illegal fireworks. Fireworks are bombs, not toys. Children should not be taught that it is ok to play with these. I believe we are sending them a double message. About 45% of persons injured from fireworks were children ages 14 years & younger (Personal Injury Lawyer.com) It is time to respect the rights, health, safety and welfare of all Springfield residents. I believe we should leave the fireworks displays to the Professionals- in well organized, safe venues, such as Island Parks' . eslie Markham 542 South 4th St 741-6025 DEPARTMENT OF FIRE & LIFE SAFETY FIRE PREVENTION HAZARDOUS MATERIALS June 23rd 1998 225 FIFTH STREET SPRINGFIELD, OR 97477 (541) 726-2296 FAX (541) 741-2214 News Release Fireworks season ignites fun and fear Children and fireworks are an explosive combination, 74 Oregonians, most of them children were injured by fireworks in 1997 and fireworks started 222 fires causing more than.,$275,000 in property damage. More than 12,000 people were injured in the United States, again more than half were children, Just Say No to Fireworks! The best advice I can offer is don't buy fireworks period. As alternatives: Go to a licensed public fireworks display and watch the professionals light . up the sky, go on a picnic, or play games. So, please don't participate in activities using fireworks, that injure so many children and adults and destroy so much property. Parents, if you and your children decide to use fireworks please understand the following important information. * Parents beware! You are'responsible for your child's actions. * Parents are liable for damages or injuries caused by their children using fireworks, * Use common sense, an adult should always be with kids when fireworks are being used. And the adult should be the one lighting the fireworks, * Use only legal fireworks, you may be given a citation (fined) for use of illegal fireworks. (Illegal fireworks are any item that: Explodes, Flies through the air; or moves more than 12 feet on the ground), * Do NOT alter fireworks or attemp-! to make your own, ( Besides being very dangerous it is against the law and you can receive a citation), SAFETY TIPS: > Most important--Adults should AL W A YSbe present and in control of fireworks. > Use fireworks outdoors and away from buildings, vehicles, fields and wooded areas. > Read and follow labeled directions on the fireworks. > Have a bucket of water close by to douse used fireworks, > Light one device at a time, then quickly move away. > Keep other people at a safe distance away, ',' > Never throw fireworks, Note: You may quote me on any of the above. ~~~~ DIck Evenson, Deputy Fire Marshal 726-2293 Springfield Fire & Life Safety Department t?tuUep~~de~ Fireworks One-Stop Data Shop Fire Analysis and Research Division One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169 Email: osds@nfpa,org www,nfpa,org Size of the Fireworks Problem On Independence Day in a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than 'any other cause of fires. . In 2004, fireworks caused an estimated 1,500 total structure fires and 600 vehicle fires reported to fire departments. . These 2,200 fires resulted in an estimated 20 civilian injuries and $21 million in direct property damage. There were no reported civilian deaths. Fires Associated with Fireworks: 1995-2004 3,000 '" ~ 2,500 Ii: .... 2,000 o ~ 1,500 5 1,000 ~ 500 o R~ '\.~ FACT: 900 home structure fires were caused by fireworks in 2004. ~ " - " " . - .""'- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Year - - - - Homes - - - - - - , V ehicles- Total Structures Characteristics of Fireworks Injuries In 2005, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 10,800 people for fireworks related injuries. · 48% of 2005 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 44% were to the head. 2005 Fireworks-Related Iniuries bv Part of Bodv Arm or Shoulder Trunk 3% 8% FACT: Males accounted for 69% of fireworks injuries in 2005. Other head or Face 20% Hand or Finger 30% Eye 24% Characteristics of Fireworks Injuries Continued · 54% of the 2005 fireworks injuries were burns, while 29% were contusions and lacerations. · Nearly half the people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15. · The risk of fireworks injury was nearly three times as high for children ages 10-14 as for the general population. · Sparklers, fountains, and novelties alone accounted for 26% of the emergency room fireworks injuries in 2005. 2005 Fireworks-Related Injuries by Type of Fireworks 35% 31% 30% 25% 21% 20% 20% 15% 10% 7% 6% l-LiLII ..... 5% 2% IIIIIIIII 2% IIIIIIIII 2% - 1% 0% -..e,<."" *~"" 0<.'1>0 <(-00 <<",q; ~"" ~ ~o <:.:>(;' <<",e, "" "" "" '" ~e, 0 ,e,'" ;:\ ...'" I-.e,~ ~e, lYe, iJ,~ '\v ...e, ~ ",'I> q; 1;~ 0'1> 'O~ ~<:- ::.-e, ~q; o",q; ^,,,,<:!. 'I>(f ~# ~ ~ ~ & ~ ~~ <(-e, (:-'1> ~.::> Oe, ;S;,' <(-0 ",,'Ii ~ ~ (:-e," ~e,~ ~o Risk of Private Fireworks Use 2005 Fireworks Related Injuries by Type of Injury 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 54% 15% 2% 0% -, Burn Contusion or Fracture or Laceration Sprain Other FACT: 95% of the fireworks injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms involved fireworks that Federal regulations permit consumers to use. The risk of fire death relative to time used shows fireworks as the riskiest consumer product. · The risk that someone will die from fire when fireworks are being used is higher relative to exposure time than the risk of fire death when a cigarette is being smoked. · The risks with fireworks are not limited to displays, public or private. Risks also exist wherever fireworks are manufactured, transported, or stored. · "Safe and sane" fireworks are neither. Fireworks and sparklers are designed to explode or throw off showers of hot sparks. Temperatures may exceed 120QOF. FACT: The following five states have banned access by the public to all fireworks: Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. NFPA encourages people to enjoy public displays of fireworks that comply with NFPA 1123. NFPA is strongly opposed to any consumer use of fireworks. Revised 4/07 Source: Fireworks, by John R. Hall, Jr., National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA 02169 The Exponent - Purdue's Student Newspaper H mmmj I I ICWA JE'iHRONT! I ,-ONOOMIN rUMsl L-..__",^_,.^,.~,~_.~ .11~ w I \. lli544&42Sll Page 1 of2 Wednesday. July 11. 2007 XI) .. NENT ONLINE beceome annoying Publication Date: 07/09/07 Print View While an organized large-scale display can make for an enjoyable summer night':' craning your neck backwards and staring up at a sky filled with exploding chemicals - but there's a specific end-time with that sort of public display, Senior kicker Casey Welch kicks the game- winning field goal in the fourth quarter of Purdue's 17-15 win over Michigan State, The new Virginia Kelly Karnes archives and special collections research center on fourth floor of Stewart Center will include an exhibition room for many historic Purdue artifacts, Senior kicker Casey Welch kicks the winning field goal in the fourth quarter, Until this kick Welch had never attempted a field goal for Purdue, Fireworks draw eyes to the sky, but users could go to hospitals (07/02/2007) Variety highlights celebration at Slayter (07/02/2007) Far from home, students celebrate Chinese New Year (02/16/2007) Independence Day was five days ago, but the crackling, squealing, hissing, booming sounds of small explosives have continued nightly, And frankly, it's tiring. Fireworks are used to celebrate July 4, Arguably, they're a form of patriotism, though pretty lights and small explosives seem to be more closely related to the "bread and circuses" of the Roman age than the "love and devotion to one's country" definition of patriotism today, It's difficult to understand how someone, five days after the holiday, fires up a "Screaming Bumblebee" or a "Bad a Bing Missile" they purchased for 80 percent off retail price, actually believes they're fulfilling a patriotic duty, Rather, those "celebrating" the Fourth a week after the holiday need to realize they're being a bother to their neighbors. And instead of spending hundreds every season':' and after the season - on mortars, shells, aerial repeaters and various rockets, perhaps that money could be better spent on actual patriotic actions, For instance, helping out the local family with a son or daughter in the military, Perhaps the college student who devotes days of training to the ROTC program would appreciate a friendly gesture, There are thousands of different ways and hundreds of charities that would put much better use to than money that's literally sent up in smoke, By all means, be patriotic, Just be sure the definition of the word is fitting the patriotic action, Campus II City II Features II Opinions II Sports II Classifieds P.O. Box 2506, West Lafayette, IN, 47906 on I i ne@purdueexponent.org 1"'7t:'C\ ""7 A"'l -i,of "",of ,/', \. http://www . purdueexponent. org/?module=article&story _ id=63 66&caption= 7/11/2007 A fiery Fourth for some - OregonLive.com Page I of 3 vers sweep the best-of-three series to join an elite group 0 baseball teams to win consecutive national championships UPDATED: 1 :16 p.m. PDT, July 11,2007 o ~~ , GQLlE&' Portland, Hot 810 F . Complete Forecast i Home Pi com P SEARCH: Enter Keyword(s) NEWS SPORTS FORUMS BLOGS MUL T!MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT JOBS AUTOS Oregon Live, com - News TOP STORIES . We all scream for sunscreen . Vernonia principal in hot water over pot . Wildfires echo scare of '90 . More Headlines Breaking News . Estacada fire district official investigated 11 :58 a,m, PT . Tigard council sets election for Nov, 6 12:05 p,m. PT . More Entries Politics . Smith backs Iraq withdrawal by spring 913 a,m, PT , More Entries Hottest posts . Blazers to Francis: "Thanks, but no thanks" . Photo: little bird vs, A very big bear , More TODA V'S PHOTOS 4~e ~re!lOnian : ~~~~;;::I~~~~;'~~~::~~;:~'e A fiery Fourth for some Fireworks - Local celebrations led to a death and $475,000 in damage to a home Friday, July 06, 2007 KIMBERL V A.C. WILSON The Oregonian Staff Some of us went gone too far this Fourth of July. Just ask Clackamas County sheriffs deputies, who detained a pair of 16-year-old boys from Happy Valley after one of their mothers reported they had planted an explosive device in a park where 10,000 people showed up hours later for a fireworks show. The bomb squad deactivated the device, made from fireworks materials and intended as a surprise. " Advertisement I COt.ITINUE STORY .... But the episode paints a picture of our increasingly bacchanalian celebration of the nation's independence. Consider Milwaukie, where police confiscated $700 worth of illegal fireworks after someone http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/118369231 0220 130.xml... 7/11/2007 A fiery Fourth for some - OregonLive.com Olivia i The Ore(Jonian SW Portland's Custer Park, Jesse Brodrick,S, gets a blast of water to the face Tuesday from Portland Parks and Rec. worker Justin Cox, . See More Photos Oregon Forum . Time to get rid of... by dpm 07/11/2007 10:10 a,m. PT . I'm FOR it! by deborgerac 07/11/2007 10:15 a.m. PT . More Hot Topics . Religion . Townsquare . National Politics . US at War . All Forums I Highlights News Videos . Training horses for police work (7/5/07) . High-rises spreading downtown (7/1/07) . Emma and Jackson (6/29107) , More Page 2 of3 was caugm snoollng mem OUI OT a moving Jeep. Or Multnomah County, where the River Patrol arrested a man for launching illegal fireworks al passing trains from the Columbia River. Efforts to crack down on illegal firecrackers, M-80s, bottle rockets and Roman candles netted tens of thousands of dollars' worth of contraband and fines, putting the damper on scores of front yard fetes from Oregon City to Gresham, Still, there were casualties, from the death of a 4-year-old Springfield boy early Wednesday, killed when he set off a stash of fireworks in his father's bedroom closet, to a blaze started by an innocuous sparkler that caused $475,000 in damage to a home in Southwest Portland, "It just seems like the risks are getting increasingly higher," said Nicole Barlow, whose husband, David, was cited and fined $100 for possessing illegal fireworks, including boxes bearing the label, "Nuclear Reactors." Barlow, hostess to a massive block party at Southeast 119th Avenue and Washington Street, said she had decided to discontinue the event. CONTINUED 1 I Z Nex http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/118369231 0220130.xml... 7/11/2007 '" Personal Injury Lawyer Articles: Fireworks Related Injuries PER.SCJNAL .IN....URY Page 1 of3 Tile ,you .nee.d ~vhen FREE CASEREV/E.W Received within minutes frama lacallawy !leeei Jt tl10s1 ; HOME 'iI ABOUT US 'iI RESOURCE LINKS 'iI FAQ's 'ilLEGAL COMMUi\u:n'il CONTACT US 'iI July: Information Overview Personallniury Medical Malpractice Defective Products Automobile Accident Animal Bites Wrongful Death Slip and Fall Injury Workplace Iniuries Catastrophic Iniuries Torts Aviation Accidents Trucking Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Boat & Cruise Ship Accidents Head & Brain Iniury Nursing Home Abuse Defamation & Libel Amusement Ride Accidents Electrical Shock Burn Accident Inj!!!)' More Hot Topics> ~otlight Corner Personal IniuryLavv Frequently Asked Questions National Accident Injury Statistics Personal Injury Related Articles < Back to Previous PaQe Fireworks Related Injuries What is the safest way to prevent fireworks injuries? i The safest way to prevent fireworks-related injuries is to leave fireworks displays to trained professionals. How extensive is the problem? Last year, four persons died and an estimated 10,800 were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries in the United States. An estimated 5% of fireworks-related injuries treated in emergency departments required hospitalization. i Who is most likely to be injured? About 60% of all fireworks-related injuries last year occurred between June 18 and July 18. During that time period: . About 45% of persons injured from fireworks were children ages 14 years and younger. · Males were injured by fireworks more than twice as often as females. · Children ages 10 to 14 years had the highest injury rate for fireworks-related injuries. · Persons who are actively participating in fireworks- related activities are more frequently injured, and sustain more severe injuries, than bystanders. When do these injuries happen? Injuries occur on and around holidays associated with ! fireworks celebrations, especially July 4th and New Year's Eve. What kinds of injuries occur? Betvveen June 18 and July 18: · Fireworks-related injuries most frequently involved hands and fingers (31%), eyes (25%), and the head and face (20%). · More than half of the injuries were burns. · Burns were the most common injury to all body parts except the eyes. · In the eyes, contusions, lacerations and foreign http://www.personalinjurylawyer.com/national-content.cfm/ Articlel1 00031 /.html News Room O7il1!2007 4:09:59 I Nevv Study Fin Risks of Birth I Centers for Dise and Prevention, Women Should' Their Doctors at Benefits.. . Read more> Visits to US En ~artments c National Center Statistics, Jul 0;' The report also Medicaid patient times more likel treatment from those with priva insurance... . Read more> Current Nevvs News Archived : Local News Arch Regional Res<< Alabama 1:' Alaska 1:' Arizona J'-j Arkansas J'-j California J'-j Colorado J'-j Connecticut J'-j DC J'-j Delaware J'-j Florida J'-j Georg@ ~ Hawaii ~ Idaho ~ Illinois l' Indiana B Iowa S Kansas S KentUCky. I Louisiana I Maine !,J Maryland '1 7111/2007 Personal Injury Lawyer Articles: Fireworks Related Injuries Facts About Personal Injury: US Federal Code Personal Injury Laws Personal Injyry: Web Resources More Related Resources> Have You Been Injured Recently? Get Immediate Assistance! bodies occurred mpre frequently. . Fireworks can be associated with serious injuries such as blindness, third degree burns, and permanent scarring. Fireworks also cause life-threatening residential and motor vehicle fires. What types of fireworks are associated with the most injuries? Between June 18 and July 18: 1, Firecrackers (26%), sparklers (17%), and rockets (17%) accounted for most of the injuries seen in emergency departments. 2, Sparklers were associated with more than half of the estimated injuries for children under five. 3, Between 2000-2006, more than one third of the fireworks-related deaths involved professional devices that were illegally sold to consumers. How and why do these injuries occur? Availability: . In spite of federal regulations and varying state prohibitions, many types of fireworks are often accessible by the public. . It is not uncommon to find fireworks distributors near state borders, where residents of states with strict fireworks regulations can take advantage of more lenient state laws. Fireworks type: . Among the various types of fireworks, some of which are sold legally in some states, bottle rockets can fly into one's face and cause eye injuries. . Sparklers can ignite one's clothing (sparklers burn at more than 1,000oF). . Firecrackers can injure one's hands or face if they explode at close range. Being too close: Injuries may result from being too close to fireworks when they explode; for example, when someone bends over to look more closely at a firework that has been ignited, or when a misguided bottle rocket hits a nearby person. Lack of physical coordination: Younger children often la"ck the physical coordination to handle fireworks safely. Curiosity: Children are often excited and curious around fireworks, which can increase their chances of being injured (for example, when they re-examine a firecracker dud that initially fails to ignite). http://www.personalinjurylawyer.com/national-content.cfm/ Article/1 00031 /.html Page 2 of3 Mass Michigan Minnesota Mississippi 'Y If If If If Browse Map> Industry Artie! Personal Injury 5 . Is there a m amount? . Can I ask m copy of the l . Can my law: without my ( Get the answer to on personal iniu!:y_ More on Personal In 7/11/2007