This Video is kinda' funny. It's hard to immagine that people can be so stupid, but apparently they are so someone had to make this PSA.
Sparklers are hot. Duh.
[video=youtube;hZ_G2xvt6qk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=106&v=hZ_G2xvt6qk[/video]
In the many years I was a member of the Pyrotechnic Guild International, I attended many of the wonderful annual conventions. At every one of those, regardless of the state laws in the state where the convention was being held, PGI members attending the convention were legally allowed to buy and shoot in a large designated area under safety monitor (PGI member volunteers) supervision
entire circus tent quantities of every type of consumer fireworks available. The PGI has a modern, well equipped ambulance and member paramedics and MDs to voluntarily man it. Never a single fireworks incident until at one convention, we I heard the siren of the ambulance and thought, "Uh-oh..."
Heart attack.
My point is that with knowledgeable, safety conscious individuals, even the largest consumer firework items can be safely shot. As always, it's the clueless and the morons who'll spoil it for everyone.
I've always wondered why someone doesn't make a FORTUNE by operating the same sort of
strictly supervised fireworks sales/shoot operations with state permission even in states where the sale and use of fireworks by the general public is illegal. There would be
strict supervision - play around in any way and you are instantly kicked off the site and your remaining fireworks confiscated. This would be made clear before entry onto the site. Site entrance and departure would be closely monitored so no fireworks leave the site - purses would be searched on departure and those entering would be made aware of that; no containers of any other kind would be allowed; no one believed to be under the influence of any drug (especially alcohol) would be allowed - yes, small amounts could leave in pockets, but illegally obtained fireworks always show up in states where they're banned anyway. A liability waiver would be required to be signed and anyone under 18 would need to be be accompanied by a parent or guardian and that waiver would include a statement that the person signing it and those they were supervising were not under the influence of any drug.
I encourage rocketeers especially to join the PGI for at least one year, especially if their convention is going to be in your area, keeping in mind that
you can't just pay to join at the last minute prior to the convention. You'll get a great newsletter with amateur fireworks manufacturing articles (be legal if doing that!), the convention attendees include major fireworks manufacturers who fire displays intended to sell their wares to the pros in the PGI, the nightly displays are excellent especially the opening and closing ones where you might see things like custom made 24" and 36" shells fired, and during the amateur fireworks competitions you'll see things you'll very rarely if ever see at US displays like lampares (salutes with added liquid fuels) and girandolas. The daytime hours of the week-long convention is filled with amateur fireworks making seminars, firework related collectors markets, BATFE public meetings, and other fireworks relevant stuff.
In a closing display, I once saw several shells that burst into HUGE internally lit, perfectly formed oriental lanterns that then hovered like hot air balloons (it was absolutely amazing). Another closing night display used microcontroller fused and timed shells exclusively (like at the Disney displays) that were computer shot in perfect time with music that was being broadcast over a local FM station for the event. BTW, non-members are allowed to attend the closing display and are provided with very large areas to park and watch, but are kept separate from PGI members and at a greater distance from the display.
https://www.pgi.org/
