National Campaign for Firework Safety
Noel's Page

Profile
Noel Tobin went to a Petition and Lobby at the House of Commons in November 1970 on the firework safety issue. He became Press Officer for the National Campaign for Firework Reform shortly afterwards, 1970-1971.   In October 1971 he was elected Chairman of the Campaign.
In 1973, he became Director of the campaign and changed its title to the National Campaign For Firework Safety. He introduced a special membership scheme to recruit more members with concessions for Students and Pensioners.

Noel Tobin has campaigned for a ban on retail sales and Licensed Firework Displays. He believes in getting safety skills up in the firework industry and has worked for a National Training Scheme.
He has not detracted from any of these policies since he joined the campaign in 1970.
Although he supported the Government proposals on fireworks last year, 2003, as a first step, he does not believe in common with most samples of public opinion, that they would be effective on their own.
He has spoken in most parts of the country for the campaign and has regularly appeared on Radio & TV programmes in London and the areas where he has spoken for over 30 years.
He urges people not to give up hope but to continue with the campaign.

Noel Tobin is the Director for the National Campaign for Firework Safety.  In between his other very busy commitments he writes the occasional article on the latest in the Campaign's drive for Firework Safety.

Here is the latest of Noel's Page, click on the title for the full version

Noel's Page August 2003
"So the fight continues. Don't forget nothing has changed.  We face the same uncontrolled situation with fireworks this year as we did last year and every year going back to the time when fireworks were first sold in shops. The situation has already begun with uncontrolled displays. In September we will have the shops debacle.  Then the abuse with fireworks really begins."

Noel's Page March/April 2003
"As the Australian crews from Sky TV have said to us on a number of occasions. "What is it about you people in this country.  We went for a professional firework situation over a decade ago.  Why do the Brits have to oppose so many reforms when your people are being killed and injured.""

Noel's Page September/October 2002
"It transpires that the firework industry, all those importers who used to be manufacturers and who now import 100% of their industry, had a big conference in Burton on Trent. Fearing that they had gone too far, and there would be a ban on retail sales because of the firework catastrophe in 2001, 1362 hospital injuries and the fatality of a young boy. They agreed they would go cap in hand to the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Melanie Johnson and offer a carrot."

Noel's Page May/June 2002
"The day the agreement (to ban 'Air Bombs') was made, …..
I had an E mail from a member of the Firework Industry.  The first words were, "thank goodness it is not going to work, and then went on to show me the loophole that would make the ban fail.  The ban will not take place in any case until 2003, after all currently held stocks have been sold."

Noel's Page April 2002
"I know from the groundswell of public opinion during the consultation process just how upset many people have been by the constant abuse of fireworks. What should be a source of entertainment has, in many areas, become a public nuisance,"

Noel's Page March 2002
"Joan Ryan said that her constituent 13 year old Martin Lamparter had been killed by fireworks last December.  This event has devastated his family and the local community.  This was not an isolated incident. There had been 5 fatalities in as many years directly attributable to fireworks. Yet these fatalities have not led to a change in legislation which the public were calling out for."

Noel's Page February 2002
"Now, it's over to you Miss Johnson.  The electorate's views are very clear on this issue.  Are you going to continue with this charade, or are you going to make a real difference to people's lives in the United Kingdom, by having the courage, to bring about new legislation for the first time in the history of this subject?"

Noel's Page December 2001
"The time is now to go for a ban on retail sales, and revive the 1998 measures for licensed firework displays, and a National Training Scheme"

Noel's Page November 2001
"Will the Government give a hang?  Well they ought to, because people have really had enough. Yes Mr Blair, they really have."

Noel's Page October 2001
"Again and again the suggestion was to ask the people of the UK to consider the feelings of the folk of USA and to halt their exuberant firework activities during the coming weeks and months "as a mark of respect", for all those who had been killed."

Noel's Page September 2001
"There is a world emergency at the moment after the horrific events in New York and Washington.  Our hearts go out to our comrades in the Fire Service, the Police, the Ambulance Service, Doctors, Nurses and the Paramedics and all the relatives and friends of the people who were killed or seriously injured because of terrorism."

Noel's Page August 2001
"Oh bliss for the days when they used to be issues democratically on the floor of the House of Commons, and the Minister could be questioned."

Noel's Page June 2001
Remember the words of the firework industry, "unless you are in before the consultative process you have missed it".  They have been in through the open door for the industry at the DTI, and always before the consultative process, on each and every occasion.  Is it any wonder why little has been done in the legislative field and we are still under the 1875 Explosives Act?

Noel's Page May 2001
"If you look at the DTI website on fireworks what do you find?  All references to firework safety are directed to the firework industry.  This is the same industry who were in the trough year after year scrapping each other for business.  Some of these members were pulled up by Explosives Inspectors and Trading Standards Officers for dubious practises, and it is these people the DTI are happy to advise on Firework Safety.  "

Noel's Page April 2001
Our view is that Hazard (Category) 4 Fireworks should not be available to members of the public without licensing and a certificate of display training.  Every year the professionals say to the NCFS, "We need to raise the level of technical expertise, both in the firework industry and display enthusiasts".

Noel's Page March 2001
41 children have been killed whilst assembling fireworks at a Primary School, in Jiangxi Province on Tuesday 6 March.  The school made fireworks for companies, to supplement their income.

Noel's Page February 2001
"I don't think the animal rights lobby, Doctors, Nurses and Fire-fighters will be too happy with people who say that the injury to people and trauma and suffering to animals is A OK because their sales have risen by 40%."

Noel's Page January 2001
"The industry has always had links with the MOD and the Explosives Inspectorate, that is perhaps why we have never been able to get proper legislation on fireworks in this country"