How to Set Up Consumer Fireworks
Correctly setting up your fireworks is vital to putting on a good display on the fourth of July. Consumer fireworks are relatively safe and easy to use, but operating explosive projectiles is never completely safe. Learning to correctly set up your fireworks can ensure that your fireworks show is remembered as a spectacle rather than a disaster. Thankfully, consumer fireworks are very user-friendly, and a few common-sense solutions will ensure you have an enjoyable night of fireworks. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a suitable location. Ideally, you want to use a reasonably large open space, such as a field, to set up your fireworks. In developed areas, there is a risk of fireworks damaging something valuable, such as a car or building, if they misfire.
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Leave about 75 feet of space around your firework site for additional safety. It's easy to forget about fireworks once they've exploded, but there will be falling debris. This could injure the spectators if they stand too close to the launching zone.
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If you have the luxury of time, setting up your show by daylight hours is a good idea. Not only does that make it easier to arrange the layout of your display, it also gives you time to set up each firework correctly without having to entertain waiting spectators.
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Cover fireworks with carrier bags to protect them from rain. Elastic bands can be used to hold the bags in place. Setting up early is ideal when putting on a display, but the fireworks have to be protected from water, and they should not be left unattended.
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Follow the instructions provided with your fireworks regarding their individual setup. Rockets, for example, are launched out of a tube which is stuck into the ground. The tube is made of either plastic or metal, and the rocket's stick is put into the tube in preparation for firing. The tube should cover most of the rocket's stick but leave the body of the rocket and the fuse visible.
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Surround aerial repeaters with bricks to ensure that they don't fall over. A tipped repeater could cause many injuries because of the relentless rate of fire. The repeater tube should fit inside a cinder block, but it can be easily supported with several bricks.
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Support Roman candles using rocks, bricks, or soil. You can dig them into the ground for added stability, or use a planter box, which can then be filled in with soil to keep the fireworks steady. Roman candles can cause a problem because they are thin and less resistant to being forced into the ground.
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Tips & Warnings
Always keep your wits about you when operating fireworks. Remember: they are explosives!
Always secure the proper permit or permission as stated by law.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit firework! image by Antons Matvejevs from Fotolia.com
