Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the storyPHOENIX -- The dangers associated with lighting fireworks during a show were brought to the forefront during the Fireworks Shooters School put on by Fireworks Productions of Arizona by Valley firefighters.
“What you saw in the video of that 27-year-old girl that died, she lit the fuse,” said Kerry Welty, President and owner of Firework Productions of Arizona.
He reminded his 300 students of a video seen where a woman lost her life trying to shoot a firework.
“It didn’t go so she stuck her head over it,” Welty said.
How’s that for putting a scare into you? People can actually die lighting fireworks.
It’s all to put on a spectacular show for thousands of people who truly love fireworks and consider it one of the absolute musts on the Fourth of July.
"The truth is we all came here to light stuff on fire and make it go boom!" said Kendon Victor, Pyro Production Manager. He used humor to bring home his point that, “the most important thing is safety.”
The class entailed a couple hours of classroom work followed by in the field instruction.
“Obviously we’re dealing with explosives so we as fireworks shooters know there is an inherent risk with what our job is,” said Welty.
The explosives come in three, four, five and six inch shells. If there’s a mishap, it could end in serious injuries.
The explosives are lowered into canisters by a string, all fitted to the size of the shell. Once they’re in, the wick is lit and the igniter turns their body and waits for the explosion. Once the firework has been launched, it’s clear to light a new one.
“I guess it’s like anything else. It’s like jumping out of an airplane,” added Welty. “There’s an adrenalin rush to it. To be able to shoot explosives and have fun and be licensed to do it and get paid to do it, what better job is there?”
