ISO contingency storage in southeast PA

[mattyhuggz]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum but have been a fireworks guy since childhood. I am looking to up my pyro game with a type 54 but don't have the facilities for a magazine yet. I've reached out to one company about an hour away but haven't heard back so any advice would be appreciated. Also interested in clubs to get more involved. Fireworks has always been something I did on holidays or at parties for family and friends but I want to meet more people who share my enthusiasm for fireworks. Thanks!

[Okimarine]

Hello and welcome to pyrotalk. Contingency storage an hour away will be good, anything over that may be questionable with the ATF. I would reach out again, make sure you call and email. Right now is probably a slow time for sales so they may not be in office every day. Our local consumer sales fireworks stand is closed unless you call them to make a purchase, they come in. Keep in mind that they offer the storage of items you buy from them, not from other companies. I'm unsure of Clubs that may be in your area but Dave and many others on the forums are from PA so hopefully someone chimes in and can provide you with some advice on that part of your post.

[PyroJoeNEPA]

Welcome o PyroTalk. I am in Schuylkill County-----and a member of the Pyrotechnic Artists club and the CrackerJacks club. If you would like more info on the clubs, send me a PM.
Contingency storage can be an issue depending on what you want to purchase/store and when you want to use it. As Okimaarine stated above, you can only store items purchased from your contingency source in their magazine. Also, when the July 4th season comes around, everyone is in overdrive mode with shows, orders, etc...and it is difficult if you pick up an order & get rained out---your storage people are not going to want to meet you at 3AM to put product back in their magazine....
There are some "work arounds"---possibly a Job Box style mag for smaller quantities?

[displayfireworks1]

If that company did not respond to your request, I suspect they may have a reason. Remember the fireworks distributors are looking for licensed customers and not just give someone a contingency letter and never hear from them. I am finding there are lots a variations in people asking for contingency storage. Some people do not want to be future customers , they are playing different motives. Speaking in general 1.3 fireworks distributors are looking for customers that want to spend a nice amount of money at least once a year on 1.3 fireworks. When you ask for help with being a potential future customer , present it that way during your request. Imagine their position , getting a random phone call or email : " Hello can I have a contingency letter"?

[mattyhuggz]

If that company did not respond to your request, I suspect they may have a reason. Remember the fireworks distributors are looking for licensed customers and not just give someone a contingency letter and never hear from them. I am finding there are lots a variations in people asking for contingency storage. Some people do not want to be future customers , they are playing different motives. Speaking in general 1.3 fireworks distributors are looking for customers that want to spend a nice amount of money at least once a year on 1.3 fireworks. When you ask for help with being a potential future customer , present it that way during your request. Imagine their position , getting a random phone call or email : " Hello can I have a contingency letter"?

Thanks for replying Dave. Longtime fan or your videos and I'll be buying your DVD this week. In regards to how I reached out to the company I made it very clear that I was looking to be an ongoing customer and take their PGI course next spring in addition to inquiring about contingency storage so I don't think they had any reason to think I wouldn't be purchasing from them. And thanks everyone for the warm welcome!

[displayfireworks1]

In speaking with a display company that also sells 1.3 they told me there are going to be slow to sell their 1.3 stuff until we start coming out of the so called fireworks shortage. Whatever they have on hand has to go to their commercial displays first. That could also be the situation in your case also. Check out one of my advertisers Fire Art. They have PGI Shooter training and open shoots. Take the class there and talk to some of the people that work at that locations. There are possibly other options for you.
https://www.fireartcorp.com/

[Arclight]

My experience with contingency storage is that you need to be in the same state but could be 2-3 hours away and have it get accepted if you seem reasonable. I've done this for other blasters, as they travel/move around a lot to where the big jobs are.

[BMoore]

I'm not sure how you tried to contact the company, but my suggestion is to not give up until you've actually spoken to someone over the phone. Keep in mind that companies that offer contingency storage are to some extent putting their own license at risk by offering storage to you. They want to have a good feeling about you being a good responsible customer of theirs. Random e-mails might not get you very far whereas a conversation about you and your goals might. Also, remember that this is the slow time of the year for fireworks, at least on the customer facing aspect of the business. Some simply aren't the best at responding quickly or at all. Again, this is where being persistent until you speak with a live person can make all the difference.

[mattyhuggz]

Great news everyone! The company that I had first reached out to got back to me and are happy to provide me with a contingency letter. Turns out they were just out of the office or something. Now I just have to get fingerprinted and my passport photo taken. Starting to get excited.

[joewad]

Boom shocka, locka. Patience is a virtue especially during "off-season". Not to mention thousands of containers circling about trying to off load. My guess, a lot of fireworks distributors will have a bulk of their product much earlier than usual. Unfortunately, with container costs skyrocketing so will the cost of its contents. Good luck.

[displayfireworks1]

Great news everyone! The company that I had first reached out to got back to me and are happy to provide me with a contingency letter. Turns out they were just out of the office or something. Now I just have to get fingerprinted and my passport photo taken. Starting to get excited.

If you would have spent a few dollars and bought my ATF DVD package instead of paying or spending the energy to get a passport quality photo, you would understand the process does not require a passport quality photo. I suspect the company that initially did not respond to your first request, probably read this thread and decided to respond. Either way , you are on you own past this point. Best of luck.