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Fireworks Shows in BPC Again Spark the Anger of Residents
At a joint meeting of Community Board 1’s Battery Park City and Quality of Life/Affordable Housing Committees earlier this month, board members berated Jim Lauer, chief inspector of the New York City Fire Department’s explosives unit, which handles the permitting for all the fireworks shows in the city. In what has become an annual summer ritual, they complained that the shows are too late, too loud, and too close to shore. And worst of all, the pyrotechnics happen with no warning. “Our community is very sensitive because we experienced 9/11,” said Battery Park City Committee chair Linda Belfer. “So when things start to explode with no notice whatsoever, my heart flutters.” “There was a show the other night that sounded like World War III,” said Bill Love. “I looked down, and I couldn’t believe how close to shore it was.” “The Coast Guard keeps the barges 1,000 feet off shore,” responded Lauer. “We have sonar to check our distance to the land.” He added that there were always three inspectors present at fireworks shows: one each from the Police Department, the Fire Department and the Coast Guard. “I promise you that barge was a lot closer than 1,000 feet,” said Love. “The noise doesn’t just stay in Battery Park City,” added Rick Landman. “People all over Lower Manhattan end up hearing the boom boom boom.” But not everyone hoped to see the fireworks fizzle. “I don’t want to be a party pooper—or maybe a party maker—but I actually like the fireworks,” said Jeff Galloway. “I also enjoy the fireworks,” said committee member Anthony Notaro, “but is there some way we could put a curfew in? When it gets past 10 or 11 p.m. on a weekday, you can’t make that kind of noise.” Lauer said he does try to adhere to a curfew of 9:30 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 p.m. on weekends. "But sometimes something does go wrong out there,“ he said. "Sometimes with the movement of the water, wires disconnect. And they¹re working in the dark with a little flashlight.“ Notaro suggested that fireworks companies be held to a strict curfew, whatever the circumstance. “What you’re forgetting is that we’re dealing with explosives,” Lauer responded. “We put people in harm¹s way when we unload a barge once the explosives are in the tube.” The committees made little headway in their attempt to convince Lauer to institute a strict curfew or lessen the number of shows, but the inspector agreed to work harder on notifying residents of upcoming shows. “I can’t make the fireworks companies call you, because it’s not in the fire code,” he said. “But I know they’re going to cooperate.” According to a Fire Department e-mail to the Trib and other Downtown recipients on June 27, the only remaining scheduled Downtown fireworks of the summer, other than July 4, will take place on July 21 at 9:30 p.m. offshore from Battery Park. The Grucci Family produces most of the shows in New York Harbor. According to Philip Butler, a producer with the company, personal shows, which start at $5,000 but can go as high as $100,000, make up nearly 90 percent of their business. At the Ritz Carlton in Battery Park City, $40,000 buys you a night in the Presidential Suite and a "personal" fireworks show.
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