As you know, a few weeks ago it was my very sad responsibility to cancel the Memorial Day fireworks. I have always loved our fireworks - such a wonderful way to usher in the summer. This decision was a very painful one - in truth I felt rather like Scrooge.

Then why did we do it when so many thousands of people have enjoyed it so much? In one word, safety!

Michael Meade, chair of the Fire Services Advisory Council; Walter Trapp, chief of the Port Washington Fire Department; and William Kilfoil, chief of the Port Washington Police Department, were among the very strong voices pleading with us not to hold the fireworks. These men carry tremendous responsibility for our safety and they could no longer be ignored.

They publicly applauded that decision after it was made. "We are pleased that the supervisor has listened to and acted upon the concerns of those charged with the weighty responsibility of assuring the safety of those attending the fireworks at Bar Beach," said Chief Trapp. Michael Meade agreed, noting that "Supervisor Newburger has demonstrated leadership in canceling the Bar Beach fireworks." "We appreciate Supervisor Newburger's sensitivity to the safety of town residents and others who have attended the Memorial Day fireworks at Bar Beach," commented Chief William Kilfoil.

You see, members of the public have not known that for several years now, there has been a mounting crescendo of warnings coming from all the local fire departments, the Nassau County Police, and the Port Washington Police. Their concern has been because there is only one access road to and from Bar Beach. All of the emergency services firmly believe that in the event of illness, injury or other emergency, they would be unable to remove people to a hospital in a timely fashion.

Over the years, the popularity of the Memorial Day fireworks has grown beyond the ability to handle the ever-increasing crowds. Since a great many people have come from outside the town, we explored the possibilities of limiting attendance to town residents - not feasible. Were we to ask for Id, the show would be over before the gatekeepers had checked even 10 percent of the people waiting in line - the traffic buildup would be beyond belief. Also adding to the hazard are the thousands of people who walk in and watch the display from West Shore Road. Anyone who has left Bar Beach before the end of the show knows how slowly one had to drive to avoid injuring the bystanders.

The police and the firemen have done their best to help keep this event safe and our requests for additional officers from the county police were always honored. Ultimately, even the addition of many more county police officers could not really solve the basic problem of too many people in too small a space, with only one way out. In the event of a need for emergency evacuation of sick or injured people, the sheer volume of traffic could be a life-or-death matter. "Why?" you may ask. "Why, after ignoring their advice for so many years, did we not do so again?"

Last year's experience was the clincher. Several people were injured by debris from the fireworks display itself. They needed hospitalization but were subjected to lengthy delays in getting there. Fortunately, their injuries were not serious ones, but as a public official charged with ensuring the public's safety, I cannot and must not gamble that there will never be life-threatening injuries. And, I was truly appalled that a display we all presumed to be safe, and fun, had in fact caused harm to residents of our town.

The fireworks show fell victim to its own success and as a responsible public official I felt I had no option but to choose the course that keeps the public safe.

May W. Newburger

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor