COUNTYWIDE : Toy Kits Take the Fire Out of Fireworks

Fireworks-related injuries skyrocket this time of year. An alternative for children age 4 and older is now available in Ventura County, with the bulk of the profits from sales donated to rehabilitate burn victims.

Funnerworks, which sell for $7.95 and $12.95, are packages of toys that simulate fireworks but cannot injure children. The toys are being sold in Ventura County beginning this weekend.

At a demonstration Friday, children stomped on a red mat to make loud pops, laughed at the explosive noise of a blaster and covered their ears at the siren-sound of a screaming balloon whistle. The kits also contain such glow-in-the-dark items as a battery-powered sparkler and iridescent beach ball.

Jumping on the mat “is as much fun as fireworks, but it gets tiring,” said Christopher Montgomery, 7, of Ventura, as he took a breather.

Sandi Wells, an education officer for the Ventura County Fire Protection District, recommends Funnerworks over so-called “safe and sane” fireworks. All the cities in Ventura County, except Fillmore, ban the manufacture and sale of fireworks.

Wells said drought conditions mean that any fireworks, even a sparkler, could set off a major brush fire, while rockets are a danger to homes with shake roofs.

Every year, fireworks cause injuries and property damage. The state fire marshal’s office in Sacramento, which has designated June 17 to July 17 as a fireworks special season, reported that statewide there were 302 injuries and about $1.3 million worth of damage from fireworks-related fires during that period in 1989.

In Ventura County, there was one injury and $4,350 in property damage from 18 fires during the same period in 1989.

Profits above 10% from the sale of Funnerworks are donated to the Alisa Ann Ruch California Burn Foundation in Canoga Park and are used for rehabilitation of burn victims and for education programs. Alisa Ann Ruch, 8, was fatally burned in a back-yard barbecue accident in 1971.

This is the first year the packages are widely available, primarily through service clubs and child-centered businesses. Today and Sunday, Funnerworks will be sold at two McDonald’s locations in Thousand Oaks--3805 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. and 605 E. Janss Road.

The packages will also be sold July 3 behind Ventura City Hall and at the Fourth of July Street Fair in downtown Ventura. They can also be ordered by calling 648-7634 or 1-800-334-SAFE.