Fireworks sales could expand, against public safety advice

HARTFORD — Connecticut’s fireworks laws that have been limited to handheld sparklers and small fountains for nearly a quarter-century, could expand to include other non-aerial, non-explosive devices including so-called poppers, ground spinners, glow worms and snappers under a legislative proposal that has support from industry representatives.

But a state fire marshal warned against the proposed expansion, and law enforcement groups opposed a related bill that would expand an evenwider range of fireworks for public sale.

Michael Dapkus, coowner of the Durhambased Dapkus Fireworks Company, which has been in operation since 1984, told the legislative Public Safety and Security Committee on Tuesday that the larger group of small fireworks are actually safer than sparklers, are nearly noiseless and are becoming even more ubiquitous in displays for people celebrating everything from Independence Day on July 4, to Diwali, the Hindu celebration of light.

A retired police officer, Dapkus brought several inert versions of the more-benign items that his company’s other store — State Line Fireworks in Winchester, New Hampshire

— can sell in that state that are illegal in Connecticut. Dapkus said he would like the current 200-gram limit on stationary fountains to expand to 500 grams here in Connecticut, giving them a longer display time. The proposed new Connecticut law would also raise the current age to purchase and use the devices from 16 to 18 years of age.

“These devices have the lowest injury rate according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission,” Dapkus said. “Presently all these devices are legal and sold in 48 states including our bordering states of New York and Rhode Island,” Dapkus said, noting that his company does not manufacture products, but buys from sources in China.

“We haven’t expanded out business in Connecticut in over 20 years,” Dapkus said. “Fire marshals here would agree with me that your handheld sparkler is your biggest injury rate, yet we sell them in Connecticut. We instruct parents that handheld sparklers are not for children. I was a paramedic and I’ve seen children burned by sparklers, not fireworks, but sparklers. The items that I am proposing are a lot less dangerous, and I’ll say that as an expert.”

State Rep. Kurt Vail, RStafford, said that expanding the realm of fireworks sales could be good for Dapkus’ Connecticut business, at a time when many people travel to New Hampshire to stock up on devices that are illegal here, including aerial displays, fire crackers and bottle rockets.

“So, even if we did this with these non-aerial ones, I think you’re still going to see a lot of Connecticut consumers travel to New Hampshire to get stuff for the holidays,” Vail said.

Dapkus said that homemade fireworks, fire crackers and Roman candles, which shoot colorful, sparkly balls from tubes into the air are really the cause of most injuries.

Roger Nelson, vice president of the Connecticut Fire Marshals Association, spoke against the expansion of the law on sparklers and small fountains, calling it a “step backwards” in public safety. “In looking at surrounding states, Massachusetts currently does not allow any fireworks,” Nelson said. “Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Vermont follow Connecticut in only allowing sparklers.”

The hour-long committee meeting included no live testimony on a related bill that would further expand the universe of pyrotechnic and explosive devices to include consumer-grade fireworks, which was opposed in written testimony by the fire marshals, the state Police Chiefs Association and the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. That proposed legislation would allow for the sale and use of items including bottle rockets, sky rockets, Roman candles, fire crackers and reloadable mortars here in this state.

Dapkus stressed that he was testifying only in favor of the smaller items.