D&L COMPANY SAYS CPSC REFUSES TO WARN PARENTS, CREATES HOLIDAY SHOPPING NIGHTMARE OF DANGEROUS TOYS ON STORE SHELVES

DANGEROUS TOYS THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS EYE INJURY" ON STORE SHELVES JUST BEFORE HOLIDAYS WARNS CALIFORNIA TOY MAKER D & L COMPANY

LOS ANGELES, CA (PRWEB) November 7, 2003 --The ULTRA Stomp Rocket" features newly redesigned toy rocket nosecone OG-1"

    Toy maker D&L Company says the Consumer Product Safety Commission is continuing to ignore complaints about toy rockets" that can cause serious eye injury still in toy stores. Any toy rocket with a small diameter nose cone is dangerous. Theyre a serious accident just waiting to happen," said D&L CEO Fred Ramirez.

     Los Angeles, CA-D&L Company CEO Fred Ramirez warned parents today (Thursday, Nov.6, 2003) about the dangers of toy rockets with small diameter nose cones.

   After working with the CPSC for more than a year, we created the safest toy rocket nosecone in the industry," said Ramirez. The CPSC knows that the other toy rockets have smaller diameter nose cones and are 'hazardous, but they have failed to put out any announcements warning the public of the dangers," said Ramirez.

   The Consumer Product Safety Commission has ignored a congressman and my pleas to recall those dangerous clone rockets," explained Ramirez. These knock off rockets have small diameter nosecones that can enter the eye socket and cause serious damage, including detached retinas."

    D&L Company, a Porterville, CA international toy manufacturer is the creator of the original Stomp Rocket. On May 24, 2002, the CPSC threatened to recall the original Stomp Rockets designed by D & L Company because these rockets had small diameter nose cones that in the words of the CPSC, ... present a substantial product hazard." At that time, D&L voluntarily stopped making the original Stomp Rocket, but the dangerous knock offs have remained in toy stores such as Toys 'R US.

   Other manufacturers, specifically the knock offs of the original Stomp Rocket, have the smaller nose cones," said Frank Reed, director of marketing, D&L Company. Based on the CPSCs own assessment, these types of toy rockets are hazardous products."

   In its letter to D&L, the CPSC also stated, Rocket impact with the eye can and has caused corneal abrasions and detached retinas leading to permanent vision loss or vision distortions."

   So if the CPSCs job is to protect the public from 'hazardous items, why havent they recalled toy rockets with small diameter nose cones?" asked Ramirez.

   In order to eliminate the danger, D & L designed the industries safest nose cone, the OG-1 which is on the new 'ULTRA Stomp Rocket."

   D & Ls top priority is safety, especially for children, and were outraged over the laid-back, 'lets wait and see what happens attitude at the CPSC," said Ramirez. Do they need serious injuries before theyll do anything? Parents could buy toy rockets with small diameter nose cones during the holiday season and spend Christmas in the emergency room with a child who has an eye injury."   

    Reed also noted that the OG-1 nose cone is superior to any small diameter nose cone in the industry. Its been designed to exceed the new consumer protection requirements and is precision manufactured from soft, flexible foam. Weve been making toy rockets for a decade" he added, And safety and fun are our top priorities when designing new rockets, including the ULTRA version. The ULTRA with the OG- 1 has been designed for ages eight and up. It retails for under $20.00 and is sold in thousands of specialty stores nationwide. If parents dont see it in their favorite toy stores, they should ask for it."

   The air powered, 11- inch plastic and foam toy rocket is launched by jumping on the Stomp Launcher Blast Pad which releases a giant blast of air and sends the rocket hundreds of feet into the air. Over the years, elementary, high school and college teachers, have also used D & Ls Stomp Rockets to demonstrate principles of physics, including energy, mass, and momentum. In addition, D&L Ultra Stomp Rockets are used for rehabilitative purposes, helping individuals with disabilities.

About D & L Company
D & L is a toy manufacturer and distributor located halfway between Bakersfield and Fresno in Porterville, California. Ultra Stomp Rockets from D&L Company features the toy industrys safest nosecone, the unique OG-1 Nosecone". Its been designed to comply with new consumer protection requirements and is precision manufactured from soft, flexible foam. Ultra Stomp Rockets are sold in thousands of specialty stores nationwide, niche retailers such as BIG 5 Stores, and on the Internet. The fastest order is right now at www.stomprocket.com.
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[Editors: For more about D & L Company and the ULTRA Stomp Rocket visit: www.stomprocket.com or call 800-632-8869.

For interviews call George Mc Quade at: 818.340.5300]