‘Safe and Sane’ Fireworks Still an Explosive Issue

By voting YES on Measure Z, Fullerton citizens can have a direct impact on improving the safety of the community. By approving Measure Z, Fullerton can align itself with 23 other Orange County municipalities, including four of its neighboring cities, and ban the sale and use of what the fireworks industry and its lobby would like us to call “safe and sane” fireworks.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as “safe” fireworks--especially here in drought-plagued Orange County. The devices we are talking about are incendiary devices capable of causing ignition of gasoline tanks, wood-shingle roofs and dry grass and foliage.

And there is a lot of data accumulated by such responsible professional organizations as the National Fire Protection Assn. and the American Academy of Ophthalmology that these devices can and do inflict serious injuries--especially to eyes and especially to children. One recent study found that over one-third of all fireworks injuries were caused by so-called “safe and sane” fireworks and one-half of those were from sparklers.

J. BYRNE SIMPSON, SUSAN K. SIMPSON, Fullerton