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The town’s highest elected official this week addressed the widely discussed decision to proceed with the July 4 fireworks at Waveny Park, saying the storm that cut the event short and sent thousands of attendees scrambling was not foreseeable when the go-ahead was given.
First Selectman Dionna Carlson addressed the controversy at the Board of Selectmen’s regular meeting at Town Hall, where she said she’s received significant feedback from residents upset about the call.
“I’m hearing lots of Monday morning quarterbacking on the call,” Carlson said. “I think it’s important for people to understand the decision-making process.”
The show, she explained, had to be approved before the town’s fireworks provider crossed the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey into New York on Friday evening.
“Once they come off the bridge, they cannot go back,” Carlson said.
“On Friday, late afternoon, there was a very low probability of thunderstorms. We have had percentages of rain and thunderstorms significantly higher for the Memorial Day parade that I canceled and didn’t get, than what we had for the Fourth of July fireworks that we didn’t cancel and did get.”
The fireworks arrived at Waveny at 8 a.m. Saturday and crews began setting up. By 3:30 p.m., Carlson said, indications emerged that the storm probability was rising. She spoke with the Parks & Recreation Department at 5 p.m. and the decision was made to move the show up earlier than scheduled. A text alert went out to subscribers.
“The skies really started to get dark,” she said. “It was all hands on deck with emergency services, and when we noticed that the storm was about eight miles out, we made the call. Everybody needs to get to their cars.”
Carlson said emergency personnel from the police department, fire department and EMS were all on site. New Canaan Fire logged roughly 20 calls that evening, compared to its typical average of about three per day.
No one was reported injured.
“We’re all really blessed that no one was injured,” Carlson said. “It was very frightening, and you do the best you can with the information you have. Unfortunately, weather can change on a dime.”
She added that summer weather forecasting remains imperfect even with modern radar systems, and that the town will hold a debrief with emergency services personnel to evaluate the response and whether improvements can be made for future events.
“We’re never going to be perfect,” Carlson said. “It is called an act of God for a reason. But we can always learn from these situations, and thankfully, thankfully, thankfully, no one was injured.”
Carlson also acknowledged the added weight of the occasion for the town.
“The 250th, you want it to be special,” she said. “Well, it was. That’s what we’ll always remember.”
Thanks for clearing that up, Dionna. I wasn’t there but I know people were really upset and this explanation helped.
No it didn’t. We left while fire works were going off. We got in our car, got to Latham road immediately and all hell broke loose. Branches hit our car from the left and right, not to mention our roof. You couldn’t see a thing. . My husband swerved our car left and right and missed a basket ball contraption lying on the road. Cars were going, some at 60 mph down South ave. It took some time to reach home in town.
They didn’t decide to cancel, until moments before the storm. I’m amazed nobody got hurt, running to their cars or driving. It was Very Scary.
I will say that the town provided us all a beautiful week of happenings, parades, and spirit. Really appreciate all the work that went into that with many volunteers and people who work for the town. Now that was a
Beautiful and made me feel proud of our town and country. We were at the very first fireworks, with a new baby, 50 yrs. ago.
We all make mistakes, but the one the town made in regards to the fireworks was a doozy.
Happy you are safe. Inexcusable they were forewarned for days and the storms were forming tracking toward us hours before. Total disregard for our safety. Were they more concerned that the food vendors would have spoilage with unsold food rather than the safety of all. Even PD told me they knew it was coming. The biggest issue is the Selectman’s office taking no responsibility and not questioning the OEM director. Instead false laughable CYA rhetoric- blaming the weather bureau. When I was on OEM under Jim Cole and Mike Handler this would have been canceled before the gates opened.
This is nonsense: Total CYA and I do no wrong. I was out boating Saturday morning and there were already noaa and coast guard warnings of afternoon and evening severe weather. At 7:30 PM NOAA and the coast guard warned all craft to seek shelter in port. Severe t storm watch was posted for Fairfield County Saturday morning and the warning at 7:30 . You seek shelter immediately when a warning is posted, 7:30. They were aware of a bowing t storm front with white and blue tops ( indicative of 50-80 mph straight line winds, hail, torrential rain and possible tornadoes)on the weather radar already in central NJ and Northern Westchester County moving east at 45-55 mph with 60-80 mph straight winds, dangerous lightning and torrential rain. There were severe weather and hazard weather outlook warnings for days. You could see a roll cloud moving toward us, hear thunder and see lightning. What did they do start to shoot off fire works into a squall line risking injury and fire at 8:20PM. What a poor pathetic excuse the trucks could not turn around so let us risk the safety of residents. In past years under more responsible leadership fireworks were cancelled for less to a safer day. Our emergency management chief and first selectman risked injury to all who attended. There were massive warnings all day but they did not have the intelligence to cancel for the safety of all especially all the young children who were caught up running to safety in 60 mile an hour wind gusts , falling tree limbs, blinding blowing sand and deadly lightning. There were foward reports of the severity of the on coming storm, lightning and thunder could be seen and heard, a roll cloud was visible and they then began to launch firework capsules into 60 mile an hour wind gusts risking fire and injury. Once again a self serving CYA response from the Selectman’s office. The warnings, live storm radar and sight of the storms approach were there. This was not a trick trying to predict summer weather. It was a dereliction of duty and all we get is another “I do no wrong” response from the first selectman’s office. Time for change!
Now that’s accountability. Appreciate the clarity Dionna.
I walked around Waveny before the fireworks were scheduled to start and saw large numbers of families coming in from neighborhood streets on foot, some with young kids in wagons, etc.. It was obvious to me when I left the high school track field that rain was imminent when I left at 8:15; by 8:40 the skies had opened up with heavier and heavier rain and wind. For many it took a while to get to gathering places for viewing; also we had large numbers of residents who paid to get into Waveny and park with all the support personnel trying to make this a success.I can’t imagine the chaos those on the fields had to deal with but we’ve gotten some reports. The fire department, police, EMS and other workers were set up.
Mr. Abramowitz has painstakingly laid out the particulars of reasonable conditions for cancelling evening fireworks. Darien and other neighboring towns had very successful fireworks celebrations for the nation’s 4th. I’d think that all the focus should be on public safety and enjoyment not on whether or not the fireworks company has gone over the GW Bridge to set in motion its work to prepare for the pyrotechnics when they arrive in the morning. I’d think that working into the contract all sorts of provisions for potential problems with all the insurance involved would be a given, not giving the company a lot of autonomy based on a long-term relationship with the town. I’m sure there are plenty of similar companies willing to satisfy all the demands of the town to make the fireworks displays successful including cancelling on short notice.
Been here 40 years! Theirs no excuse
for what happened. Over the years many fireworks were cancelled and rescheduled .
I said this many times.
The first Selectman may be a wonderful person but doesn’t belong in a management
position. Never did and why the RTC ever
pick her amazed me!
Dancing with the facts . Bottom line it should have been canceled peoples safety comes first. Steve Benko would never allowed this to happen