Boom, boom, pow! Fireworks Display in January
Display location: Catawba Meadows Park
City:Morganton
State:NC
Date:January 9
Details: Morganton, NC - Fireworks usually aren't a mid-winter treat, but on Saturday a group of pyrotechnic trainees lit the afternoon sky above Catawba Meadows Park during a certification and training course.
The group of approximately 50 fireworks professionals took part of a certification course to comply with a new North Carolina law that goes into effect Feb. 1. The law requires all pyrotechnicians to complete eight hours of training and a written exam administered by the N.C. Department of Insurance.
The law stems from a Fourth of July fireworks explosion on Ocracoke Island. Four workers from Melrose Pyrotechnics of York County, S.C., died in the blast.
The N.C. Division of Occupational Safety and Health fined Melrose Pyrotechnics of York County, S.C., almost $45,000 for safety violations, although the specific cause of the explosion is still unknown.
David Thompson, Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services, said previously, pyrotechnicians only needed a N.C. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms license.
Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services, a Burke County based fireworks operation, and Zambelli sponsored the Saturday morning class and afternoon live shooting course. Instructors came from Pennsylvania and Florida and participants came from across the state.
Rob Roegner, engineering services liaison with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, said the certification class covers the safety basics of working with pyrotechnics.
The live shooting course demonstrated shooting fireworks manually and electrically and included engineered accidents in a controlled environment, Roegner said. Professionals must complete six shootings to acquire certification, which is valid for three years.
Gregg Gettys, a member of Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services, said, "I think (the law) has been a long time coming. It should have been done earlier."
Thompson agreed, but said the quick implementation of the law has created a less than smooth ride.
The course on Saturday is one of the first in the state, Roegner said. Several more have been scheduled across the state in the upcoming weeks.
Thompson said Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services has about 70 members in the club who will need to be trained.
Table Rock Pyrotechnics began in 1982 and has provided the fireworks for the City of Morganton's Fourth of July and festival events, at local high schools and at various shows in the region.
City:Morganton
State:NC
Date:January 9
Details: Morganton, NC - Fireworks usually aren't a mid-winter treat, but on Saturday a group of pyrotechnic trainees lit the afternoon sky above Catawba Meadows Park during a certification and training course.
The group of approximately 50 fireworks professionals took part of a certification course to comply with a new North Carolina law that goes into effect Feb. 1. The law requires all pyrotechnicians to complete eight hours of training and a written exam administered by the N.C. Department of Insurance.
The law stems from a Fourth of July fireworks explosion on Ocracoke Island. Four workers from Melrose Pyrotechnics of York County, S.C., died in the blast.
The N.C. Division of Occupational Safety and Health fined Melrose Pyrotechnics of York County, S.C., almost $45,000 for safety violations, although the specific cause of the explosion is still unknown.
David Thompson, Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services, said previously, pyrotechnicians only needed a N.C. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms license.
Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services, a Burke County based fireworks operation, and Zambelli sponsored the Saturday morning class and afternoon live shooting course. Instructors came from Pennsylvania and Florida and participants came from across the state.
Rob Roegner, engineering services liaison with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, said the certification class covers the safety basics of working with pyrotechnics.
The live shooting course demonstrated shooting fireworks manually and electrically and included engineered accidents in a controlled environment, Roegner said. Professionals must complete six shootings to acquire certification, which is valid for three years.
Gregg Gettys, a member of Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services, said, "I think (the law) has been a long time coming. It should have been done earlier."
Thompson agreed, but said the quick implementation of the law has created a less than smooth ride.
The course on Saturday is one of the first in the state, Roegner said. Several more have been scheduled across the state in the upcoming weeks.
Thompson said Table Rock Pyrotechnic Services has about 70 members in the club who will need to be trained.
Table Rock Pyrotechnics began in 1982 and has provided the fireworks for the City of Morganton's Fourth of July and festival events, at local high schools and at various shows in the region.
posted by jessi at
5:25 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home