Testimony of Dave Belcher — HB 253, Fireworks Legalization and Regulation (June 3, 2020)

Summary

Testimony of Dave Belcher, who identifies as a retired fire department lieutenant and fire service veteran, on HB 253, Fireworks Legalization and Regulation, dated June 3, 2020, before the House Commerce and Labor Committee in opposition to House Bill 253. The testimony states that Dave Belcher served nearly 40 years in the fire service, twelve (12) of them enforcing the Ohio Fire Code through required fire safety inspections, and submits the written testimony because of the pandemic situation. It states that the bill's language is so broad that it could contradict current language in the Ohio Building Code and Ohio Fire Code, and that fireworks are being used as weapons against first responders.

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                      TESTIMONY OF DAVE BELCHER

 Retired Fire Department Lieutenant, Fire Service Veteran, Ohio Taxpayer,
                            Concerned Citizen

                HB 253—Fireworks Legalization and Regulation

                                    June 3, 2020

Chairman Manning, Vice Chair Dean, Ranking Member Lepore-Hagan and
Members of the House Commerce and Labor Committee, thank you for allowing
me to speak in opposition of House Bill 253, which would make changes to Ohio’s
fireworks law.

I served nearly 40 years in the fire service, twelve (12) of those years specifically
dealing with enforcing the Ohio Fire Code performing required fire safety
inspections.

I am extremely passionate about having the opportunity to participate in the
legislative process. Please excuse my absence due to do the current pandemic
situation and embrace this written submission as if I were testifying before you
today.

My name and title may seem familiar to some of you, as I have followed this
legislation for several years. Testifying before (along with other certified fire
safety inspector colleagues) as an opponent to any legalization and/or discharge of
consumer fireworks. I will defer to the other opponents reference the many injury /
safety issues and speak to you as an enforcement official.

This issue and the current legislation before you should be cause for great concern
for the safety of all Ohioans. You have heard many opponent testimonies from
many different Ohioans. One issue I want to spotlight is, the fact because this
current language is so broad, it could tend to cause many issues for fire code
officials who are duly sworn to protect our citizens. Quite possibly contradicting
current language in both the Ohio Building Code and Ohio Fire Code. Specifically,
any availability of consumer fireworks products in mercantile occupancies is not
allowed by current code language.

Legislative language (Ohio Revised Code) should not dictate and/or contradict
current code language. The normal rule making process should be followed by
relying on the voices of the all the different subject matter experts who have
lodged before you many safety concerns.

Also, the fact remains, consumer fireworks are an explosive, dangerous
commodity. Many have testified before, with documented evidence as to, there is
extraordinarily little quality control going into the manufacturing process.
Therefore, the end-product is highly susceptible to varying degrees of explosive
elements. Any legalization to the discharge of consumer fireworks is placing many
innocent people (most often children - sufficiently documented by others
testimony) in harm’s way.

Finally, I must express my voice of experience, on the danger that increased access
to consumer fireworks and legalized discharge puts in the way of our first
responders in law enforcement, emergency care and firefighting. It is the people
on the front lines that put themselves in harm’s way when there are fires, injuries
and disputes that are caused by consumer discharge of fireworks. For the first time
in my long career in fire safety I am seeing that fireworks are even being used as
weapons against first responders in the violence that is springing up across the
country this past week.

I would encourage all of you to reconsider what is at stake by allowing this bill to
continue through the legislative process.

Thank you again for allowing my written testimony to be a part of this great
American democracy process!


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