Fireworks are part of the July 4th celebrations. They are synonymous to the nation’s birthday as backyard barbecues, parades down the main street, and apple pie. They are relatively safe if only people use their common sense. There are also some easy to follow rules that make handling fireworks in County fairgrounds safer.
But even with the rules, it seems like people ignore the rules. Each year people are brought to the emergency room due to fireworks-related injuries around the July 4th celebrations. People should remember that fireworks are dangerous and can cause serious burns.
If you are tasked to set up fireworks at the county fairgrounds, there are some things that you must do first. One of the first things you need to do is to make sure you have already appointed a firing team. It should be composed of no more than three people with one person serving as the leader of the group. Members of the firing team must have experience of lighting fireworks and have knowledge of safety regulations.
Organizing the Fireworks Display
You must ensure that the firing site can accommodate all the fireworks you intend to fire. There must be ample spacing in order to avoid accidental firing of fireworks. Don’t forget to read the instructions on all the fireworks. Each item behaves differently and might be required to be set up and installed in several ways.
Make sure that the right side is facing the audience, especially the fan style cakes. There are some types that are required to be buried in soft earth or attached to wooden stakes buried in the ground. These are candles, fountains, and cakes. If they are attached to wooden stakes, they should be attached with strong cloth tape to ensure that the firework stays behind the stake and doesn’t fall over or face the crowd. The fireworks must be angled away from the crowd. If the weather is not too nice, you can use plastic bags to keep fireworks dry.
Some fountains have a cone shape and make them hard to be attached to anything. You can place the fountain on a flat surface and avoid placing it on the grass that could make the firework unstable and tip over.
Rockets should be launched from tubes.
You can make a DIY project using plumbing pipe. Just make sure that the stick of the rocket can freely liftoff form the pipe. It must not get stuck in the pipe. If the rocket has a broken stick, don’t try to fire it because it would not have a stable flight. Rockets travel into the wind and must be angled away from the crowd. You must also check the surroundings for obstructions such as trees.
If your July 4th celebration involves a bonfire, make sure it is far downwind from the firework area. You should not use inflammable materials such as petrol and paraffin to start the bonfire. Don’t dispose of fireworks, used or unused, on the bonfire.
During the Fireworks Display
During the big event, it is important that you wear protective clothing such as hat and gloves. If possible, you should get fire retardant overalls. If you are the person assigned to light the fireworks, light them one at a time. Keep them in a fireproof container. 
Don’t put fireworks in your pants or jacket pockets. If you leave them out in the open, sparks could get to them and igniting them accidentally.
Ensure that the fireworks area is secured, and no one can wander inside. You should have someone to act as a marshal to keep people away from the fireworks area. Have a flashlight ready in order to see the fuse of the each firework.
Items that you should keep in the fireworks area are buckets of sand, fire extinguishers, and water. When lighting the fireworks, use a safety lighter so that you can keep a safe distance from them. Never use matches. Once the fireworks are lit, go to a safe distance. Once the firework is lit, don’t go back to it. You might think that it misfired, but it might just be a case of a slow fuse.
These are some of the safety tips that you should keep in mind when assigned to set up the firework displays at the County fairgrounds during the July 4th celebration. These will keep you safe, and everyone will get to enjoy a good fireworks show.
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