A judge in Wisconsin found that probable cause for the filing of felony criminal charges existed in a fireworks accident from Rome, Wisconsin. The accident happened in July 2011 when a lead pyrotechnician and a local fire inspector/chief allowed a crowd of people to sit within 39 feet of a five inch shell being discharged for a July 16 fireworks show for a pizza parlor. The proper distance for the crowd should have been 350 feet or more.
The judge found that probable cause to maintain criminal charges existed against the lead pyrotechinician for injury by neglgent handling of explosives, a felony. This means that the lead pyrotechnician (Michael Rose) will have to submit his case to a jury to decide his fate for the injuries sustainted in the July 16,2011 accident in which 11 people were injured. Seperate civil cases for injuries are also pending.
The affidavit filed by the Prosecutor in this case showed that the lead pyrotechician could not remember the appropriate distances between the crowd and the display and that there may bave been several inadequacies of his training. The lead pyrotechnican supposedly had 34 years of experience in conducting fireworks displays.
There seems to be little question that the guidelines of NFPA 1123 were brazenly violated not only by the lead pyrotechnicain, but also the local fire chief. One has to wonder why the Fire Chief that authorized this outrageous behavior is not also being charged criminally, even with conspiracy.
While i don't fault the Prosecuting Attorney for taking the action against the lead pyrotechician, I have to fault her for singling out the fireworks and not the actual Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) which allowed this activity to occur not only in 2011, but according to the probable cause affidavit, in prior years as well.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Bird Deaths in Arkansas Misreported and blamed on Fireworks
Fireworks Not the Cause of Massive Bird Deaths in Arkansas
Three independent laboratory test results on redwing blackbirds that died in Beebe, Arkansas neighborhood show the cause of death was blunt force trauma. The testing was conducted by Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Arkansas Live Stock and Poultry Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center. The test reports revealed hemorrhaging consistent with blunt trauma and ruled out other factors.
The investigation also showed that these birds were part of a massive flock of redwing blackbirds near the neighborhood that totaled over 1.6 million birds. The flock of redwing blackbirds was so large that Sidney Gauthreaux from Clemson University could track the roost movements in radar display images.
According to the radar display images the birds started flying at roof top level around 10:30 p.m. A second flight was reported around 11:30 p.m. It is estimated that the birds fell before midnight on December 31st.
Blackbirds have poor night vision and typically do not fly at night. It is not typical behavior to have the roost flying at 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
The number of birds dying in this roost is not unusual. Traumatic die-offs are common in animals that congregate or travel in large groups. In the Beebe, Arkansas instance the number of birds dying at this particular event was less than ½ of 1%.
Records kept by the U.S. Geological Survey lists at least 16 events over the past 30 years which 1,000 or more blackbirds or starlings died en masse. History is replete with large en masse die-offs of animals in large groups. According to the USGS, mortality events like this in wildlife are normal and a "fact of life". These birds did not fall out of the sky as dead carcasses they flew from the sky and hit something causing their death.
In most instances, such traumatic injuries in wild birds are due to flying into stationary objects. It is rather expected and there is nothing mysterious about these types of events occurring in the wild. The most remarkable aspect of this event in Beebe, Arkansas was the size of the roost initially. What caused the birds to fly around at night has not been determined and cannot be determined. Reports of loud noises before the birds started flying are unsubstantiated. Generally firework activities around New Years are concentrated at around midnight which would have been approximately an hour and a half which was long after the flock was moving.
It is absolutely irresponsible to insinuate that fireworks had any important or significant impact in the cause of these deaths. It is pure speculation that the deaths of these starlings are related in any way to fireworks.
Three independent laboratory test results on redwing blackbirds that died in Beebe, Arkansas neighborhood show the cause of death was blunt force trauma. The testing was conducted by Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Arkansas Live Stock and Poultry Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center. The test reports revealed hemorrhaging consistent with blunt trauma and ruled out other factors.
The investigation also showed that these birds were part of a massive flock of redwing blackbirds near the neighborhood that totaled over 1.6 million birds. The flock of redwing blackbirds was so large that Sidney Gauthreaux from Clemson University could track the roost movements in radar display images.
According to the radar display images the birds started flying at roof top level around 10:30 p.m. A second flight was reported around 11:30 p.m. It is estimated that the birds fell before midnight on December 31st.
Blackbirds have poor night vision and typically do not fly at night. It is not typical behavior to have the roost flying at 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
The number of birds dying in this roost is not unusual. Traumatic die-offs are common in animals that congregate or travel in large groups. In the Beebe, Arkansas instance the number of birds dying at this particular event was less than ½ of 1%.
Records kept by the U.S. Geological Survey lists at least 16 events over the past 30 years which 1,000 or more blackbirds or starlings died en masse. History is replete with large en masse die-offs of animals in large groups. According to the USGS, mortality events like this in wildlife are normal and a "fact of life". These birds did not fall out of the sky as dead carcasses they flew from the sky and hit something causing their death.
In most instances, such traumatic injuries in wild birds are due to flying into stationary objects. It is rather expected and there is nothing mysterious about these types of events occurring in the wild. The most remarkable aspect of this event in Beebe, Arkansas was the size of the roost initially. What caused the birds to fly around at night has not been determined and cannot be determined. Reports of loud noises before the birds started flying are unsubstantiated. Generally firework activities around New Years are concentrated at around midnight which would have been approximately an hour and a half which was long after the flock was moving.
It is absolutely irresponsible to insinuate that fireworks had any important or significant impact in the cause of these deaths. It is pure speculation that the deaths of these starlings are related in any way to fireworks.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Fireworks in Kentucky
The Kentucky Legislature has opened up the state to all class c fireworks. We are setting up a state association to deal with the problems created by the cities and state fire marshal. Some cities don't like this law and are putting up every roadblock they can.
There are still some things that can be addressed, but the Commonwealth needs to hear from the industry. Great success can be made by numbers getting together to make reasonable regulations. Even competitors can compete in the marketplace so long as everyone can compete on the same page.
There are still some things that can be addressed, but the Commonwealth needs to hear from the industry. Great success can be made by numbers getting together to make reasonable regulations. Even competitors can compete in the marketplace so long as everyone can compete on the same page.
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