Special Report: Choosing the Right Fireworks for Your Family Fourth of July Celebration

Hello All:

We normally don't post articles on Thursday, but tomorrow is Fourth of July which means one thing: FIREWORKS! If you haven't done so already, then surely you plan to visit some fireworks warehouse and pick up a nice assortment for yourself. 

Be safe with your collection of fireworks. Read the instructions, carefully, and respect the fact that fireworks can be dangerous.
"Use under close adult supervision only! Place on ground. Light fuse and get away fast!" Those are the simple and easy-to-follow instructions on every package of fireworks.
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Today's article is a guide to help you choose the right fireworks for this year's family celebration.

God bless America! Never let them try and take your independence and freedom away!

Choosing the Right Fireworks for Your Family Fourth of July Celebration

If you happen to look outside your window on the night of July 4th, it's difficult not to notice the impressive display of various fireworks from all the neighbors. The neighborhood might even take on the appearance of a warzone with all the explosions and flashes of light. 

Most American's are proud to celebrate their nation's birthday, and observe the tradition of shooting off fireworks. 

Go for a drive with the spouse and kids to your nearest fireworks warehouse. Be sure to stop at a restaurant for lunch. Afterwards, find a store or warehouse that is licensed and certified to openly sell fireworks to the public. 

Once inside the firework warehouse, you will immediately feel like a child in a toy store. Each aisle is typically organized and sorted with the various classifications of fireworks. The first aisle is usually the simplest of fireworks such as sparklers and snakes. The final aisle might contain huge cannon balls that blast for the heavens to explode dazzling kaleidoscopes of colors as seen in public firework shows.

Keep in mind that you are shopping for the kids, and it's best to be sensible. Do you really want something that could potentially remove your child's head in the event of something unexpected? Plan for the possibility of a firework accident. Speculate as to what might be the worst that could happen with a particular firework.

Fireworks for small children:

Sparklers

Sparklers are an all-time favorite for young and old alike. A sparkler resembles a welding rod that when ignited emits colorful sparks. This emission of sparks is contained enough so that one could hold the other end of the rod in the hand without risking injury to face or arms. The user simply needs to have the common sense not to touch the glowing rod or come in close contact to the sparks. There is even a special classification of sparklers called Morning Glories which alternate colors and produce various flashes and other effects during its burn time.

Never throw sparklers in the air while they are lit! Never light handfuls of sparklers at one time (you'll be sorry!). Keep a bucket of water nearby to discard the used sparklers as they do remain hot for some moments afterwards.

Snakes

Snakes are another simple and relatively safe firework that has been enjoyed by kids for generations. Out of the box they are a black pellet that is to be set on a hard surface such as the sidewalk. The pellet is ignited by holding flame on it for several seconds. Eventually it will start to burn. When this happens, ashes began to form which hold together and form what looks like a black snake. This is an excellent firework to play with during the day—although there are some snakes which glow during the burn process at night.

Something happened with the manufacturing process of snakes. Originally they were made with mercury which is a highly toxic chemical. For safety, mercury is no longer used. But some adults (such as me) claim that the quality of snakes is not the same as we remember. Was mercury necessary to make dazzling snake formations?

Ground Bloom Flowers

Let me give you some advice on a firework called Jumping Jacks. Unless they are found in an assortment package, don't bother purchasing them. Jumping Jacks resemble packs of firecrackers, and are designed to be lit on a hard surface where they spin off in different directions and create a colorful display of fire. To some extent they do this. But most often, Jumping Jacks are defective and simply lay there and burn for a few seconds.

The Ground Bloom Flower will give you a better performance for your money. Just like the Jumping Jacks, you lay one Ground Bloom Flower on the street and light the wick. Soon it will flare and spin at an incredibly high rate while making a "whiz" noise. Flames of various colors are produced on both sides. Due to the high rate of spinning, you get the effect of a colorful flower that blooms on the ground. Although a simple firework, it is a remarkable sight. Many children even find it amusing because of the "whiz" noise. This, of course, is considered a night-time firework.

Smoke Bombs

Perhaps modeled after the classic cherry bomb, the smoke bomb is a favorite for many kids. The smoke bomb is simple and relatively safe. Simply place it on the ground and light the wick. From the top of the smoke bomb a small flare will appear, followed by a cloud of colorful smoke. The color of the smoke typically matches the color of the firework. The smoke bomb is fun because kids like to dance inside the cloud of smoke. What kid hasn't created a circle of smoke bombs and lit each one of them. So much fun!

Perhaps the safest firework for young children to play with is the harmless Super Snaps. No need to ignite, simply throw what appears

Super Snaps

to be a tiny rolled up sack of paper on the ground. Inside this sack is some gun powder that is surrounded by crushed up pebbles. Due to friction or sudden compression, the Super Snap will make a "snap" noise. The Super Snap is so safe that it can be thrown at people without causing injury. Biting into it, however, is not recommended.

Fireworks for bigger kids:

The fireworks listed above are relatively safe and ideal for young children to play with. The only risk of injury is receiving minor burns if not handled safely. But it's when fireworks shoot sparks for a considerable distance, or explode, or even leave the ground that the concern for safety should be elevated. Just the word, explosion, might make you feel nervous. And it should!

Dangerous M80 Firecracker!

The firecracker has been in existence since 200 BC with the Chinese baozhu which was simply gunpowder packed inside of bamboo. Historically, these exploding fireworks were dramatic such as the popular M80. But these types of firecrackers are terribly dangerous and banned with serious fines throughout the United States and other countries. Somehow, licensed manufacturers of these types of M80 firecrackers are able to legally sneak them onto the shelves of retailers—whether it be just micrograms short of maximum gunpowder, etc. If you have access to these types of explosives, be sure to ask yourself if you really want your kids playing with them. An M80 will blow fingers off, cause permanent deafness and other injury if handled unsafely.

"Safe" Consumer Firecrackers

As opposed to M80s, ordinary consumer firecrackers are relatively harmless as they contain significantly less gunpowder. The explosion is due to the tight wrapping of powder. The most that can happen if holding a small consumer firecracker in the hand is a temporary tingle of fingers, ringing in the ears and a possible mild burn. I know this because a firecracker went off in my hand when I was a boy. I was more freaked out than injured.

Although they don't do anything outside of exploding, kids love lighting them. They can be ignited in packs containing a dozen or more joined firecrackers, or they can be untwisted and lit for a simple explosion. It's even possible to join two or more packs together for a more dramatic effect. Firecrackers are ideal for lighting during the day; but because of the added flash powder, they have a visible effect at night.

Bottle Rockets

If you are tired of lighting firecrackers, then upgrade to the thrilling bottle rocket. They basically look like a firecracker that has been joined to a stick. Insert the stick in—say—a glass bottle or small pipe. Be sure the rocket end is aiming directly towards the sky, not towards houses or people. Light the wick and do step away. Soon the bottle rocket will make a "fizz" sound as it takes off some distance in the air where it finally explodes like a firecracker. Bottle rockets are ideal for daytime and even night as the flash powder produces a small display in the air.

Not all aerial fireworks need to explode. Bees are a cute "spinner-

Bees

type" of firework that when lit, take off for the air and zip around before coming back to the ground. They usually come in boxes of a dozen, and are fairly inexpensive. Bees are addictive, so be sure to have several of these boxes on hand.

A similar "spinner-type" is the artificial satellite which produces a similar effect. They don't zip around as much as the bees, but the satellites are equally addictive. You want to have plenty of these for kids to play with on the Fourth of July party.

Parachutes are an entertaining firework that comes in a few different designs. The most basic model is a cardboard tube that when set on the ground should aim towards the sky.

Parachutes

When lit, it explodes and launches a projectile into the air which in turn explodes to release a parachute capsule. Immediately the parachute opens and slowly drifts down to Earth. Kids can play with the parachute the following day if they like. Another design is based on the "spinner-type" of firework which is an airplane that spins off towards the sky. The airplane explodes and releases a parachute that drifts back to Earth. There is also a simple model that is a large rocket that explodes and releases parachute at the highest point of ascension. Parachutes are considered a daytime firework for the simple reason that you need to track the landing parachute. But there are also nighttime parachutes that glow while landing back to Earth.

Speaking of rockets, if you want some dazzling aerial effects, be sure to pick up an assortment of sky rockets. They can be thought of as bottle rockets on steroids as their design

Missile-type Sky Rockets

is similar, but much larger. Sky rockets soar off to much greater heights and produce a larger explosion with pretty colors. For even more drama, purchase a few missile style rockets that actually tear off into the sky for hundreds of feet and then yield an amazing show of pyrotechnics. Missiles are usually pricey, but a few of these are nice to have in your holiday celebration package.

Do you live in a densely forested area? Are aerial fireworks out of the question? If so, fountains offer a convenient and exciting means to celebrate without the concern of launching potentially dangerous rockets. Fountains project colorful streaks of sparks several feet from the ground with numerous explosions and even stroboscopic effects. They can produce some of the most beautiful colors on the ground that actually light up your entire backyard. Some displays can last up to a couple minutes.

Fountains

Would the popular Roman candle be considered a fountain? Nothing more than a slim tube about arm's length; when lit, the Roman candle produces several balls of glowing flame which might even explode in midair depending on design. Instructions urge the user not to hold a Roman candle in the hand. But this is how people have used them for many decades. Safety involves pointing the firework away from people and flammable objects.

Don't worry about spending too much money on fireworks. Fireworks are an American tradition that is similar to purchasing gifts for

Roman Candles

Christmas. You want to make sure that you have enough for people to enjoy for a few hours at the 4th of July party.

If fireworks are illegal in your liberal state, you need to exercise caution. As for driving home with your new purchase, be sure to obey the speed limit on the highway and do nothing to draw the attention of possible state troopers. Remember, you are illegally transporting explosives across the state line with the intention of using them.

As for lighting fireworks, be sure to have no lights on outside to draw attention to the party. And be sure to do this activity at a time when the rest of the neighborhood is lighting fireworks. Together, you and your neighbors will make it difficult for police to track you.

Never bring all of your fireworks out into the backyard! If the police happen to raid your party, they might confiscate hundreds of dollars of your fireworks and then give them to their friends for their parties. It’s best to bring handfuls outside at a time and the return inside for more. And make sure all the doors are closed in your house. The last thing you want to do is walk past the front door of your house where a police officer might be standing and observe you with a huge sky rocket while declaring, “I’m shooting this thing off next!”

A final note: be sure to read all instructions on how to use the fireworks. Do observe safety, and use some common sense. There is no reason why you or family members should spend the evening of July 4th in the emergency room.