Fourth of July Fireworks Show Hercules CA 2009

The launching of the manually fired and loaded Fireworks show in Hercules, CA. Shooters go from mortar to mortar lighting fuses. Once the mortar is empty, loaders with new shells load more firework shells into the empty mortars.

The fireworks shells at this show range from 3 inch in diameter, the smallest, to 6 inches in diameter, the largest. The people seen near the mortars with a red glowing ball near them are the shooters and the red ball is a flare for lighting. Those seen going to and away from the mortars are the loaders, carrying new firework shells to the mortars and going off screen right to get more.

The show is not electronic or computer run. The show is run by a professional pyrotechnics company and all crew members are wearing protective gear.

Fireworks are dangerous to property and limb. This show set a small patch of grass on fire over 100 yards behind the crew which was put out by the Hercules Fire Department.

This was record with a digital camera on a tripod with an embedded microphone. The camera is not of the highest quality so it picked up the wind noise and the launching booms are horribly muted and dead sounding.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Hercules
• Fireworks
• 4th
• Fourth
• July
• mortars
• shells
• launch
• mortar
• shell
• firework
• pyrotechnics
• pyrotechnic

[vuurwerktomw]

the shooting itself isnt dangerous. But reloading at the same time is. What if a spark catches the fuse of the mortar you are holding.

[Wailwulf]

If the shell gets stuck in the mortar, it can be pretty bad too. To your question:

If The fuse catches before it gets in the tube, drop the charge away from where the shells to be loaded are and yell "Hit the Dirt! Live Shell!" Those in charge of the shells covers them with the canvas we have while everyone else drops. The lifting charge will flash, and a few seconds later the shell will explode, hopefully mostly towards the sky. At least that is the plan, never had to implement it yet.

[vuurwerktomw]

Pretty good solution what to do. But it's still risky. It's safer to shoot them all one by one w/o reloading, but this method saves a lot of money and to be honest this must be way more fun XD Never seen it this way before, good job!

[Wailwulf]

It is fun. Better then most electric shows I have watched. This show takes place on a small strip of land that there is not enough room to load all the shells at once. Doing it this way also saves on clean up time since we have about 1/10 of mortars and boxes to tear down in the dark.

[niceali234]

your sick

[dallas67560]

its not that dangerous if you just be safe... my dad is the head of the fireworks commity for my town and if your standing 5 ft away from them when they go off... yea ur gonna be deaf for a couple seconds

[vmvmvm1003]

we were plaing monoply at that time so we missed it.

[burldoor30]

This is wild, crazy, dangerous, but I am glad I was there to experience it on the spot.