Open Letter to Fire Marshals

Santore & Sons Inc
Open Letter to Customers and Fire Marshals

Dear Sir or Madam,

This letter is intended to introduce to you the new technology of Close Proximity Pyrotechnics. These new products provide tremendous improvements over older technologies in audience safety, shooter safety, and property safety. They will make your job easier and safer, and permit you to exercise greater control over the variables that have plagued conventional fireworks displays.

“Close Proximity Pyrotechnics” describes products that have been specifically engineered for use close to audiences and structures. They are being used extensively in theme parks, music concerts, and indoor venues. And they are being used with great safety and control, because of their precise and predictable performance. Since they are designed for firing close to audiences, they are much more entertaining, while using only a small fraction of the explosives of conventional fireworks.

Close proximity pyrotechnics are not classified as ‘fireworks’. Our products are classified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as “Articles, Pyrotechnic, UN# 0431”. All items comply with recommendations of NFPA 1126. They are designed to be used in distance-restricted areas where traditional display fireworks cannot be used.

Close Proximity Pyrotechnics are much smaller than conventional fireworks. Each product has been engineered to precise specifications to control force of lift, height of lift, spread of breaks, distance of horizontal travel, and amounts of ‘fallout’ (debris from explosions). As an example, a typical close proximity aerial shell has a maximum diameter of less than two inches, as opposed to conventional shells that may measure as large as twelve or sixteen inches in diameter. Flight distances are similarly lower, with most devices lifting only a few tens of feet, rather than several hundred.

This is a precision technology. Unlike conventional fireworks, each component in a close proximity device is manufactured to exact dimensions, weight, and explosive force. Powder charges are carefully weighed to tolerances within hundredths of a gram. Component sizes are controlled to within thousandths of an inch. Flight distances and break diameters are controlled tightly within ranges of a few feet. ALL EXPLOSIVE COMPONENTS are manufactured in our facility in the United States.

Close proximity pyrotechnics have a special characteristic that fire officials especially enjoy – they produce almost no fallout. A few devices like aerial shells still produce small amounts of paper litter after firing. But in all cases, ALL paper components in our close proximity effects are fire-retardant, so that NO burning debris falls from any device.

In most cases, our effects actually produce NO fallout. The only debris from firing is the flame-retardant paper caps from the launch tubes, which travel upward only a few feet, and which typically fall back to within ten feet of the launch tube. All aerial effects are engineered so that components intended to burn in the air (like stars from a shell) are totally consumed in the air.

Public safety and shooter safety are the primary concerns in close proximity technology. Therefore, each device is a sealed, ready-to-fire unit, with no fusing or assembly required at the launch site. Each device comes pre-equipped with an electric igniter. There are no exposed fuses or leaders, or any other means for manual ignition. This eliminates all manual firing, and greatly enhances both firing control and the shooters’ personal safety. All our close proximity products are individually labeled as to the effect, competent authority classifications, and proper use. The products are robustly manufactured to withstand shipping, handling, and setup with no degradation of safety.

We believe fire marshals having jurisdiction over close proximity displays can be assured of the highest levels of public safety when using Santore & Sons, Inc. close proximity pyrotechnics.

Sincerely, Anthony Santore Jr.
Vice President / CEO
Santore & Sons Inc.