Niagara firefighters oppose sparkler legalization

LOCKPORT – Representatives of the county’s firefighters groups told Niagara County Legislature committees Monday that they strongly oppose the proposal to legalize sparklers in Niagara County.

A public hearing is set for Feb. 17 on a law that would make it legal to sell sparklers in the county around Independence Day and New Year’s Eve. Specifically, the legal sale periods would be June 1 to July 5 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 2.

Edward Tase Jr. of the Town of Lockport, a director of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, said his group and others are opposing the legalization statewide.

In November, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a law allowing local governments to legalize some types of small fireworks, relaxing New York’s longtime ban on personal ownership of fireworks.

Tase said the move would endanger “the safety of our residents, our children. These things have to be stored somewhere. They’re combustible if they blow.”

The Niagara County Fire Chiefs Association, the county Firefighters Association and the county Fire Police Association all weighed in against the proposal.

Legislator Jason A. Zona, a Niagara Falls fireman, said he would have voted in favor of the legalization before hearing from his colleagues and the county’s Fire Advisory Board, which voted unanimously to oppose the idea.

Tase said national statistics from 2011 showed 34 percent of the fireworks injury cases reported to emergency rooms were caused by “sparklers and other novelty fireworks.” The figure was 25 percent in 2012.

The National Fire Protection Association has reported that there are more fires on July 4 than any other day of the year, with fireworks accounting for 40 percent of them.

Zona said, “I worked as a paramedic on the ambulance for 12 years. We handled about 25 cases of people losing digits because of fireworks.”

Tase said, “They’re not like bicycle injuries or soccer injuries. You got a 4-year-old child burned by a sparkler, that scar’s with him for life.”

In other matters, two panels approved the reappointment of Social Services Commissioner Anthony J. Restaino for his fourth five-year term. The nomination from County Manager Jeffrey M. Glatz goes before the full Legislature next week. His current appointment runs out April 4.

On another topic, the Administration Committee tabled a resolution to apply for federal grants for the county’s Rural Transportation System.

The bus service, operated by Niagara Falls Coach Lines, which won a competitive bid a few years ago, would receive federal aid of $94,000 this year and $103,000 next year if the grants were approved. But the hang-up came over a separate $240,000 grant application to buy two new buses.

Majority Leader Richard E. Updegrove, R-Lockport, questioned who would own the new buses. Restaino said Niagara Falls Coach Lines, not the county, would cover the $30,000 local share of the bus purchase, and Coach Lines owns the buses used now.

Restaino said the company aims to retire two repurposed 66-seat school buses, and the newly purchased buses would have about 40 seats each. The company uses two buses of that size on some routes now.