Beautiful Savannah, Georgia (USA) was the site of the 62nd annual General Meeting of the American Pyrotechnics Association in late September. APA member attendees were joined by over 2 dozen federal agency officials from the DOT/PHMSA, CPSC, FMCSA, OSHA, and ATF for a productive week of meetings, round table discussions, and information sessions. During the opening General Session, PHMSA Associate Administrator Magdy El-Sibaie thanked the APA for its ongoing support in finding solutions to help improve efficiency in the Approvals process, including efforts backed by the association to eliminate the 5-year expiration policy for fireworks. Dr. El-Sibaie praised the APA support and encouraged continued dialogue on finding alternatives to the approvals process.
Members met throughout the week with various agency representatives to discuss issues impacting the industry. Display fireworks members were joined by ATF officials including William Miller, Deb Satkowiak, and Bill O’Brian who shed light on the relief from disability process, computer record keeping requirements and efforts to address the table of distances for fireworks storage. Members of the APA Standards Committee continued their vital work in revising APA Standard 87-1 and met with representatives of PHMSA to update them on the progress of the revisions. The APA Code Committee held a day-long session to hammer out the latest changes to the NFPA and ICC codes that address storage and retail sale and use of consumer fireworks. Proximate Committee members made headway on developing a proximate pyrotechnic training program similar to that the APA has for display operators.
Additional workshops and seminars were conducted that were designed to assist companies in their day-today business operations. Leading social media expert Josh Linard, Kellen Company, presented a down to earth look at the latest social networking technologies as well as strategies for determining the best fit for your company. Industry attorney John Brooke, led a session that gave attendees valuable tips on cultivating relationships with state and local officials. Company representatives also learned more about assessing their company’s financial statements from Tony Allen, Fry & Allen.
APA members welcomed author Jeffrey Stepakoff whose popular novel Fireworks Over Toccoa, recounts a wartime couple brought together by fireworks, and was inspired in part by the love story of George and Connie Zambelli. Over $3,000 was raised for the National Council on Fireworks Safety from donations by APA members, who received an autographed copy of the book for their contribution. Local company host, Falcon Fireworks put on two nights of displays, with a good portion of the product donated by Lidu Fireworks. The Friday night finale “Light Up the Night For Life” served as a venue for the Savannah community to come together in support of Donate Life Georgia, an organization dedicated to promoting awareness of organ donation. Local Savannah businesses joined with the APA to donate a portion of their night’s receipts to support this worthwhile cause.
The APA will meet again in Las Vegas for their Winter Educational Conference (WEC) February 22-25, 2011. Hotel details are being finalized and will soon be available, but pencil the dates in now. Remember, because of its commitment to promoting safety & training within the fireworks industry, the WEC is open to non- APA members.