December 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 18

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Anatomy of a Great Fireworks Display
How to get the biggest bang for your P&R buck
By John Prue

hen you say " fireworks, " it usually excites people or triggers some form of positive reaction. The Chinese developed them more than 1,000 years ago to " ward off " evil
spirits, but fireworks have been commonly used as a form
of celebration around the world since about the 13th century. Today, they
are a big part of many community events, such as Fourth of July and New
Year's Eve celebrations, as well as seasonal festivals. No matter their age,
race or economic status, most people love to gather around to see a great
fireworks display!
trol of their fireworks displays to
ensure an impactful and successful
event for their community.
Do Your Homework
Some understanding about the science behind and the types of fireworks that exist is necessary when
seeking out a quality fireworks display and the right vendor. Fireworks
are made from oxidizing, reducing
and coloring agents, along with binders (starchy materials that hold the

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF JOHN PRUE

As park and recreation professionals, at some point in our career,
we will be involved in events that
include fireworks. Typically, these
events are your largest attended
activity of the year. In many cases, agencies secure a budget for the
fireworks, follow procurement processes and then award the contract
to a fireworks vendor to produce
the entire show - often with limited guidance to the vendor. Agencies, however, should take full con-

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various agents together) and regulators (chemicals that speed up or slow
down the reaction). These items
mixed together create the basic firework, and adding certain chemical
compounds will result in specific colors. For instance, calcium chloride
combined with calcium sulfate generate an orange color. In addition,
" buyers " should also understand the
variety of firework shapes that will
greatly affect the end-product within
a fireworks display. Some of the popular fireworks shapes, after they burst
in the air, are the Peony, Crossette,
Chrysanthemum and Comet, just to
name a few. All of them have a very
distinctive look and will be the basis
of any proposal you receive from a
pyrotechnics company. The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA)
has great resources that can help you
better understand the technical side
of fireworks.
To complete your homework, you
must explore the professional pyrotechnic companies that can support
your needs. Search for companies
that have strong industry credentials, have produced a variety of
displays and have a long list of experienced and qualified staff. There
are too many variables in fireworks
displays, and you need pyrotechnic
companies with a solid résumé of
experience to ensure the best source.
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Once you have the basic understanding and several qualified
sources, you will need a solid RFP
that dictates your requirements

December 2019 - Parks & Recreation

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