End of Summer Celebration
Fireworks
Sunday August 31st
@ 8:30
Being held at the Indian Trail/Colwell Camp Ground area of the pond
Friday Ffff
Fun Facts About Fireworks
Fourth of July celebrations are never complete without fireworks. Since we were kids, we've enjoyed the wonder and magic of fireworks. We've wondered where it all came from, how it all got started and what's in fireworks.
This American tradition has much older roots than most people know, and actually didn't originate in America at all. In fact, it's said that the first fireworks came from China in the 800s, when bamboo shoots were filled with gunpowder and set off at the NewYear to ward off evil spirits.
Macy's department store in New York City claims to hold the world's largest fireworks display. Every year at 9 p.m. on July 4, four barges in the East River, set just between 23rd and 42nd streets, set off 20,000 aerial shells and special effects. The New York Fire Department also operates "fire boats" on the river that shoot red, clear and blue water 300 feet into the air.
Many fireworks are actually made in China. In 2006, China exported nearly $212 million worth of fireworks to the United States, according to U.S. trade data.
In 2007, Americans used nearly $266 million pounds of fireworks, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA); about $239 million pounds were used by consumers, and 27 million pounds for displays.
The U.S. fireworks industry brought in $930 million in revenues in 2007, up from $350 million in 1997, according to APA.
Cherry bombs, M-80's, and silver salutes are examples of three fireworks that have been banned in the United States. They were banned in 1966 for containing large amount of explosives.
The legal limit of explosive material allowed in a consumer firework is 50 mg (about the size of half an aspirin tablet), according to APA. Any item containing more than 50 mg is illegal.
Five states have banned all consumer fireworks (Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island). Arizona allows only "novelty" fireworks
Five states allow only sparklers and/or other novelty fireworks (Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Ohio and Vermont)
The dazzling displays of color during fireworks occur because of different chemicals added to the gunpowder. According to APA, the mark of an expert pyrotechnician are deep blues and white bursts.Deep blue and bright white fireworks are the most difficult to produce, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.
In 2006, 11 people died and an estimated 9,200 were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About one out of every three people injured were children under 15.
Between June 16 and July 16, 2006, the CDC reports that the body parts most often injured by fireworks were hands (2,300 injuries), eyes (1,500 injuries), and the head, face, and ear (1,400 injuries). More than half of the injuries were burns.
Which fireworks are most dangerous? According to the CDC, firecrackers, followed by sparklers and rockets caused the greatest numbers of injuries between June 16 and July 16, 2006. However, one-third of fireworks-related deaths between 2000 and 2005 were caused by professional fireworks illegally sold to consumers.
An estimated 3 million people will watch Macy's fireworks display in New York City on July 4, 2008.
