FIREWORKS 2

Every year it amazes me just how little is said and done about the safety of fireworks. This I think is mainly due to the fact that they are classed as illegal. As you may have noticed (!), this doesn’t mean that they do not exist. Here in Inishowen there seems to be a plentiful supply. I wrote to the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Mr Michael McDowell T.D. who is said to be very conscious of the dangers that fireworks present. He has added new amendments to the explosive acts of 1875, which governs fireworks in the Criminal Justice act 2006. These amendments provide for new offences governing the misuse of fireworks in public places and an offence of possession of illegally imported fireworks with intent to supply. They also provide for significantly increased penalties governing the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks.

· It is now an offence to for any person to possess a firework with intent to supply without a licence.
· It is an offence to throw an ignited firework at property, and
· It is an offence to light unlicensed fireworks in a public place.
The penalty for such offences is now a fine of up to €10,000 euro or five years imprisonment or both. The possession of fireworks without a licence is also an offence for which a person may be liable to a fine of €10,000 euro. The explosive act, 1875 provides that fireworks may only be imported into Ireland on foot of an importation licence granted by the Tanaiste and it is current policy to only issue licences for the importation of fireworks used in organised displays conducted by “professional/competent operators” In effect this policy means that the only fireworks imported into the State and “legally held” are those used in professional displays. All other fireworks held, sold or used in this country are illegal and any person found in possession of fireworks without a valid licence is liable for prosecution.

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
This year the Tanaiste is embarking on a nationwide advertising campaign aimed at highlighting the dangers of fireworks and the new increased penalties for their illegal use. This advertising campaign will run up to Halloween. Every effort is also being made by the Gardai to identify persons involved in the illegal importation and sale of fireworks. This year an intelligence operation called “Operation Tombola”, which aims to prevent and detect the organised importation and sale of fireworks, has been put in place by the Garda Commissioner. The Tanaiste is confident that this year, with the introduction of the new offences and new penalties, the Garda operations will be more successful in combating the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks. This may be so, but I am sure that there will be plenty of fireworks lit between now and Halloween. When I was a child, growimg up in England, the firework code was drummed into us through advertising on the telly, usually accompanied by horrific images and facts of injuries and burns caused by fireworks. These left quite an impression. I thought it would be a good idea to print the firework code as fireworks are obviously being used at the moment.

FIREWORK CODE
All fireworks should have the marking BS7114 on them this is a quality mark and without it the fireworks could be very dangerous coming from unregulated countries.
· Keep fireworks in a sealed box or tin.
· Use them one at a time, replacing the lid immediately.
· NEVER put fireworks in your pocket.
· Read the instructions carefully, using a torch or hand lamp. NEVER use a naked flame.
· Light fireworks at arms length using a taper or firework lighter.
· Stand well back and NEVER return to a firework after it has been lit, it could explode in your face.
· Ensure that all children with fireworks are well supervised.
· NEVER throw fireworks.
· Keep all pets and animals indoors.
· Take care of sparklers, wear gloves to hold them and dispose of sparklers in a bucket of water as soon as they are finished.

It is all pretty standard stuff but from what I have seen not many people appear to be aware of them. If you do have an idea that your kids are out lighting the odd banger or worse you could tell them firstly that it is illegal. Then secondly it would do no harm to remind them of the code

Environmental.

FIREWORKS 1

Photo: Crana Crescent halloween party in Buncrana

Every year around Halloween the familiar sound of bangers and rockets fill the air around the country. We here in Inishowen see more evidence of fireworks than a lot of other areas because of our proximity to the border. It is an offence to buy or use fireworks without a licence from the police in the north and this would be invalid if they are brought over the border. Although there is a 150 year old law banning the use of fireworks in the Republic of Ireland, one of the main concerns is the quality of the devices (of course all fireworks are potentially dangerous if not handled with care). There are some reputable companies that do make safe, reliable fireworks but we are seeing more and more cheap and unpredictable rip offs being peddled to unsuspecting buyers. The fact that the fireworks are illegal here makes setting them off all the more exciting as far as the offenders are concerned. Also, as fireworks are illegal here there seems to be very little publicity when it comes to safety issues regarding safe practice. So here is the firework code.

THE FIREWORK CODE OF SAFETY
Make sure fireworks meet the BS 7114 safety requirement and keep them in a closed box.
Follow the specific instructions on each firework
Light fireworks at arm's length using a taper, never a naked flame
Stand well back
Never go back to a firework once it's been lit
Never put fireworks in a pocket
Never throw fireworks
Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves to hold them
Never give sparklers to a child under five
Keep pets indoors, (my dog’s life is being made a misery at the moment)



SEVENTEEN INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FIREWORKS
1. The first fireworks were probably made in China, around 2,000 years ago.
2. Over 130 million fireworks were sold in Britain and Ireland last year.
3. In the Far East, fireworks have been used at religious ceremonies for centuries.
4. Last year over 900 people required hospital treatment from accidents involving fireworks.
5. The word for firework in Japanese, 'hanabi', means 'fire-flower'.
6. Italy and France were the first European countries to have fireworks, in the 1300s.
7. At family back-garden displays, sparklers cause more injuries than air-bombs, bangers, rockets and roman candles combined.
8. Half of all firework accidents happen to children under the age of 16.
9. You can go to a firework display in spring if you like. A firework company in Yorkshire hold one of the biggest displays in Europe annually to demonstrate their new ideas for the coming celebrations later in the year.
10. Coloured fireworks didn't exist until the 1800s.
11. Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blowtorch.
12. The world's largest single firework was set off at a festival in Japan in 1988. The shell weighed over half a tonne and the burst was over a kilometre across.
13. Hands and eyes are most at risk in firework accidents.
14. A firecracker display in Malaysia in 1988 used over 3 million crackers, measured almost 6 kilometres and burned for over 9 hours - the longest display on record.
15. There is a British Safety Standard for fireworks: BS 7114.
16. Most firework accidents are caused at family back-garden displays closely followed by incidents in the street.
17. Throwing a firework in a street or public place is a criminal offence; there is a big fine for offenders.

Environmental.

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