Reprinted from the January 2023 Newsletter
In 2021, AFSL began meeting with State Fire Marshals and other fire services personnel to teach them how to dissect and analyze the contents of various fireworks devices so they could establish reasonable grounds (probable cause) to investigate the possible sale and storage of illegal explosives being marketed as consumer fireworks, along with other potentially dangerous pyrotechnic devices that might violate their state laws and regulations. In addition to the state-level attendees, we are often joined by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field personnel.
Fire Marshals are interested in ensuring the safety of buildings and their occupants by enforcing fire codes and regulations, conducting inspections, investigating fires, and providing fire safety education to the public. They also investigate causes of fires and determine if there are any violations of fire code or other laws.
Fire Marshals are also interested in consumer fireworks in terms of enforcing laws and regulations related to their use, as well as ensuring that they are being used safely to prevent fires and injuries. This can include enforcing age restrictions, ensuring that fireworks are only used in designated areas, and monitoring the sale and possession of fireworks to prevent illegal activity. In some cases, they may also provide education to the public on the safe use of consumer fireworks.
The American Fireworks Standards Laboratory (AFSL) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the safety of consumer fireworks. We are an independent testing laboratory that evaluates and tests consumer fireworks to ensure that they meet safety standards established by the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). AFSL also provides training and education to the fireworks industry and to the public on the safe use of consumer fireworks.
Fire Marshals in Georgia and South Carolina have requested training and have been scheduled for 1st quarter of this year. We are budgeted to conduct another four training sessions in 2023, so if you think your State Fire Marshal might be interested in having us meet with their team, let us know. This training is provided at no cost to the state and serves to continue to build our relationship with federal law enforcement and those that regulate fireworks at the state level.
