LePage touts fireworks in Scarborough

  

While State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas, far right, looks on,
 Gov. Paul LePage, center, peruses product with Phantom
Fireworks Vice President William Weimer, at the
company’s Scarborough store prior to the July 4 holiday.

SCARBOROUGH — Just in time for Maine’s first Fourth of July with legal fireworks in 63 years, Gov. Paul LePage on July 2 visited the state’s largest showroom for the consumer version of the product, in Scarborough, to urge safe handling while touting its stimulating affect on Maine’s economy.

Since consumer fireworks became legal Jan. 1, eight stores have opened in seven towns, with two in Scarborough. Both Atlas Fireworks, which opened on Route 1 June 16, and Phantom Fireworks, which opened in the Cabela’s plaza June 19, reported “about a dozen” cars waiting with eager customers when they threw wide the doors on opening day.

Atlas owner Stephen Pelky reported average first-day sales of $150 per customer. Pelkey hired 12 employees for the retail store, and plans to bring on another 40-60 for the seasonal display shows his company stages throughout New England from its New Hampshire base of operations. Pelkey has leased Atlas’ 3,300 building with an option to buy and plans to put up a newer building on the site, “within two years.”

Meanwhile, Jarred Falls, manager of Ohio-based Phantom Fireworks, said he hired 30 workers for the Independence Day rush. Like Pelkey, he said his workforce would probably dwindle to between six and eight during the winter.

“It’s all about the economy,” said LePage during a 20-minute stop at the Phantom location. “There’s a demand and we want to make sure there’s an adequate supply that’s safe and sold to the people [that are] of age within the law.

“And it creates jobs,” said LePage. “There’s nothing wrong with good jobs. The best combat to welfare is good jobs.”

During the governor’s visit, Phantom Vice President William Weimer stressed that the store issues a pamphlet of safety tips with each purchase.

“We want people to use the product safely and have a good, wholesome experience,” he said.

Workers also advice customers of local ordinances relevant to their purchase, said Weimer. According to State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas, 36 municipalities have passed restrictions, ranging from limits on days and hours of use to outright bans, as allowed under the new law.

Scarborough allows the sale of consumer fireworks, but limits use to five days per year – Jan. 1, July 3-5, and Dec. 31. Cape Elizabeth and South Portland have banned both sale and use of fireworks, along with stiff fines ranging from $200 to $1,000 per violation.

Despite the bans, police in Scarborough and South Portland reported a sharp spike in complaints about fireworks in the week after the two local stores opened, most for noise that could not ultimately be traced to a source. In both communities, complaints received in the week after the stores opened exceeded the three previous months combined.

“We’re trying to make sure the people are educated about the law, as to what they can and can not use,” said Thomas. “And, obviously, when it comes to being used, that they are used in the safest manner possible.”

For rules and regulations regarding the use of fireworks in Maine, see http://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/inspections/fireworks.html.