>> YOU TAKE THREE TEASPOONS OF SALT PETER, ADD ONE OF SULFUR AND 1.5 OF CHARCOAL.

MIX IT UP AND YOU'VE GOT THE ESSENIAL INGREDIENT OF WARFARE FOR NEARLY EIGHT CENTURIES OF HUMAN CONFLICT.

WELCOME TO CROSSROADS.

I'M ENZO DIMAIO.

THERE'S A LIGHTER USE OF GUN POUND ARER, NAMELY FIREWORKS.

GUNPOWDER AND ITS MANY DERIVATIVES PROVIDES A BASIS OF A FASCINATING CAREER THAT LIES SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FIELD ARTILLERY AND SHOW BUSINESS.

IN VERMONT THE BIG NAME IN FIREWORKS IS NORTH STAR, A MIDDLESEX BASED COMPANY LITERALLY MAKING LOTS OF NOISE IN NEW ENGLAND'S SPECIALTY EVENT MARKET.

MAINLY DUE TO THE SINGLE MINDED PROFESSIONALISM OF ITS FOUNDER, A MAN WHO KNOWS THAT THE RECIPE FOR A SUCCESSFUL SHOW CONTAINS MORE THAN JUST GUNPOWDER.

THE HIGH EXPLOSIVE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL FIREWORKS LEAVES VERY LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR.

NO ONE RESPECTS THAT FACT MORE THAN A MASTER PYROTECHNICIAN LIKE DAVE LEARNED, NOR DOES ANYONE HAVE A MORE EFFECTIVE METHOD OF ILLUSTRATING THAT TO ASPIRING STUDENTS OF THE TRADE.

>> EVERY YEAR I SET ASIDE ONE DAY TO DEVOTE EXCLUSIVELY TO TRAINING PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SHOOT FIREWORKS.

FIREWORKS ARE HAZARDOUS, APPEARED THEY CAN CAUSE SERIOUS OR EVEN FATAL INJURY IF THEY ARE NOT RELEASED PROPERLY.

ONE THING WE DO IS TO SHOW PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY HOW POWERFUL A FIREWORKS AERIAL SHELL IS.

WHAT I DO IS TAKE A WATERMELON AND PLACE IT ABOVE THE MORTAR THAT THE SHELL WILL BE FIRED FROM, THEN DISCHARGE THE SHELL AT THIS WATERMELON THAT IS PLACED UP ABOVE THE STEEL MORTAR SO THAT THE SHELL WILL ACTUALLY HIT IT.

I HOPE THAT IMPRESSES PEOPLE WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT HAVING ANY PART OF THEIR ANATOMY OVER THE END OF THAT MORTAR AT ANY TIME.

>> I WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THIS SESSION IN FIREWORKS SAFETY, SAFETY WITH RESPECT TO THE HANDLING OF FIREWORKS IN GENERAL, AND THEN WE WILL GET INTO SAFETY AS REGARDS PREPARATION FOR A FIREWORKS DISPLAY.

>> PARTICIPANTS IN LEARNED'S INTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM ATTEND IN HOPES OF QUALIFYING AS NORTH STAR CREW MEMBERS FOLLOWING A FORMAL LESSON PLAN DERIVED FROM THEIR MONITOR'S YEARS OF FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE, YEARS PERFECTING THE BASICS.

>> THIS HAPPENS TO BE A THREE INCH AERIAL STAR SHELL, RED AND YELLOW.

IT CONSISTS OF A FUSE, WHICH YOU CAN SEE BUYS TWO FEET LONG, AND THEN DOWN HERE IS THE AERIAL SHELL ITSELF, WHICH IS WRAPPED IN BROWN PAPER, AND THEN IN THE BOTTOM OF THIS AERIAL SHELL THERE IS A SMALL QUANTITY APPROXIMATELY AN OUNCE TO AN OUNCE AND A HALF OF BLACK POWDER.

THIS DISTANCE HERE, ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF TO FIVE INCHES, WILL BURN FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR SECONDS.

ONCE IT REACHES THIS PAPER WRAPPER, IT TAKES LESS THAN HALF A SECOND TO GO THE REST OF THE DISTANCE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SHELL.

SO I START WITH THE VERY BASICS.

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO SHOOT A FOORKS DISPLAY, THE NATURE OF THE LOCATION.

>> THE BEST SAFETY ZONE YOU CAN HAVE IS A BODY OF WATER BECAUS THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DEBRIS COMING DOWN ON ANY SPECTATORS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IGNITING ANY FIRES.

>> WHAT EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED, THE PERSONNEL THAT ARE REQUIRED, AND TAKE IT STEP BY STEP FROM A TO Z.

>> YOU SHOULD HAVE A MINIMUM OF FOUR PEOPLE TO DO THE SHOW.

AND ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT STARTS FROM THE MOMENT THAT YOU ARRIVE AT THE LOCATION WHERE YOU'RE SHOOTING THE FIREWORKS AND DOESN'T END UNTIL THE SHOW IS OVER.

THAT IS THE PERSON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIREWORKS THEMSELVES.

I CALL THEM THE HANDOUT PERSON.

>> STEP BY STEP FROM A TO Z, THE WAY IN WHICH YOU SET UP THE EQUIPMENT, HOW YOU HANDLE THE FIREWORKS THEMSELVES.

>> I WANTED TO SHOW YOU ONE MORE TIME NOW EXACTLY HOW WE LOAD A SHELL INTO A MORTAR.

I HAVE A SHELL HERE.

REMEMBER, YOU APPROACH THE EDGE OF THE MORTAR WITH ONE HAND, THE SHELL IN ONE HAND, YOU'LL TILT IT OVER THE EDGE, YOU LET GO OF THE SHELL AND LOWER IT INTO THE MORTAR.

AT NO TIME DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND OVER THE END OF THE MORTAR OR ANY OTHER PART OF YOUR ANATOMY THAT YOU WANT TO HOLD ON TO OR USE AGAIN.

>> AND AGAIN AT ALL TIMES EMPHASIZING THAT THEY FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES WHICH WILL MINIMIZE THE RISK TO THEMSELVES AND SPECTATORS IN A FIREWORKS SO.

THE STATE OF VERMONT SPREES PHIS AT LEAST 150 FEET FROM THE POINT AT WHICH YOU ACTUALLY DISCHARGE THE FIREWORKS.

IN MY OPINION THAT'S FAR TOO CLOSE FOR SPECTATORS TO BE.

I ALWAYS REQUIRE THAT I HAVE A MINIMUM DISTANCE TO THE SPECTATORS OF 100 YARDS.

I'LL GIVE YOU THE TEST SHEETS HERE.

>> THE TRAINING DAY ENDS WITH A COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN EXAMINATION.

IRONY HERE IS IN ABSENCE OF STATE QUALIFICATION STANDARDS LEARNED HAS HAD TO CREATE HIS OWN.

>> IT'S REALLY OUTRAGEOUS IN THAT FOR THE MOST PART ANYONE THAT WANTS TO CAN GO IN AND ASK FOR FIREWORKS SHOOTERS PERMIT AND UNLESS LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND OBTAIN THE INFORMATION AND TEST THIS INDIVIDUAL IN SOME ADEQUATE WAY, THEY HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO GIVE THEM THE PERMIT.

THE STATE LAW IN VERMONT IS PRETTY ANTIQUATED.

IT WAS WRITTEN IN 1953 AND HAS BEEN LITTLE AMENDED SINCE.

IT DOESN'T PROVIDE ANY KIND OF GUIDELINES FOR WHAT A COMPETENT OPERATOR MUST KNOW.

IT'S LAIVABLE IN SOME WAYS.

FOR EXAMPLE IT DOESN'T REFER TO WOMEN, IT SAYS FIREWORKS OPERATOR MUST BE AN ABLE-BODIED MAN.

WHAT'S ABLE-BODIED?

INCLUDED IN THE DEFINITION OF FIREWORKS IN THE LAW ITSELF ARE HOT AIR BALLOONS, AND I WONDER HOW FREQUENTLY THE HOT-AIR BALLOONISTS OBTAIN A FIREWORKS PERMIT WHEN THEY HAVE A GATHERING.

AND SPARKLERS ARE FIREWORKS.

TECHNICALLY WHEN YOU GO TO A RESTAURANT AND SOMEBODY BRINGS OUT A CAKE WITH A BE SPARKLER ON IT THEY ARE VIOLATING THE STATE FIREWORKS LAW.

>> ANYONE GOT ANY QUESTIONS?

GOOD.

I GUESS THAT ABOUT WRAPS IT UP.

SO WE'LL SEE YOU ALL ON THE 4th.

>> THE BIGGEST AND MOST LOGISTICALLY COMPLEX JOB FOR NORTH STAR FIREWORKS IS BURLINGTON'S FOURTH OF JULY SHOW.

BY 2:00 P.M.

LEARNED AND HIS CREW ARRIVE AT THE KING STREET DOCK.

THEIR SETUP WILL TAKE SIX HOURS TO COMPLETE WITH SHOW TIME SET FOR 9:30.

>> HI.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.

>> I'M STEVE LEARNED.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT A FIREWORKS SHOW FIRST THING YOU DO IS MAKE SURE YOU'RE AT THE RIGHT PLACE.

GENERALLY YOU FIND YOUR CONTACT PERSON AND GET TOGETHER WITH HIM OR HER AND LET THEM KNOW YOU'RE THERE.

THEY ARE USUALLY ANXIOUSLY AWAITING YOUR ARRIVAL.

>> A LAKE CHAMPLAIN TRANSPORTATION COMPANY OFFICIAL TOUCHES BASE WITH LEARNED TO ASSURE HIM THAT THE LAUNCHING BARGE AND HARBOR TUG ARE STANDING BY.

>> OKAY.

THE SAND GET HERE YET?

HOW YOU DOING, GUYS?

>> GOOD.

>> THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE DEPLOYMENT OF SINGLE FIRE MORTARS, HEAVY GAUGE IRON TUBES FROM WHICH MOST OF TONIGHT'S AERIAL SHELLS WILL BE FIRED.

>> THAT'S A BACKUP IN CASE WE GET FOULED UP ON THE FLIGHT.

OKAY?

TWO FOURS, TWO FIVES -- >> MORTARS ARE USUALLY BURIED IN THE GROUND BUT A STEEL BARGE REQUIRES SOME IMPROVIZATION.

HERE THE MORTARS WILL SIT IN HALF OIL DRUMS IN TURN FILLED WITH SAND.

NEXT A PLYWOOD EXPLOSIVE STORAGE SHUT KEPT IN BURLINGTON JUST FOR THIS EVENT IS PLACED AT THE NONBUSINESS END OF THE BARGE AND WELDED INTO PLACE TO THE DECK.

THE SHED WILL PROTECT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF FIREWORKS FROM BURNING DEBRIS AND SHELTER THE CREW IN THE EVENT OF FOUL WEATHER.

FINALLY, THE CENTERPIECE OF ANY SHOW, THE FINALE, IS CONSTRUCTED.

WHILE THE BULK OF THE SHOW WILL CONSIST OF SHELLS WHICH ARE INDIVIDUALLY LOADED AND FIRED, THE RAPID FIRE RATE OF A FINALE REQUIRES PRE-LOADING.

>> WE SHOOT THE FINALE OUT OF TUBES THAT ARE IN WOODEN RACKS.

THESE ARE SET CLOSE TOGETHER, AND THOSE ARE ALL FASTENED TOGETHER IN SOME FASHION.

THE MAIN POINT THERE ENSURING THAT THEY WON'T TIP OVER.

THEN YOU LOAD THE FINALE SHELLS INTO THE FINALE MORTARS.

THIS HAS TO BE DONE VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE THE FINALE STRINGS ARE MADE SO THAT THEY ARE ALL ATTACHED TO ONE FUSE, AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T DAMAGE THE FUSE IN THE FINALE STRINGS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF YOU DO THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT IT WILL STOP SOMEWHERE SYSTEM THE MIDDLE AND THAT'S NOT VERY GOOD FOR THE FINALE.

AFTER YOU GET ALL THE SHELLS LOADED INTO THE FINALE MORTARS WE GENERALLY STAPLE THEM DOWN TO THE WOODEN RACKS.

WE DO THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUSES DON'T GET TORN AWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FINALE.

AGAIN, THIS WOULD INTERRUPT THE FUSE TRAIN AND STOP THE FINALE STRING AT THAT POINT.

>> PLASTIC, PLEASE.

FINALLY WE COVER IT WITH PLASTIC TO KEEP THE MOISTURE OUT.

PREVENT FUSES FROM BECOMING DAMP BECAUSE AGAIN YOU HAVE TO SET UP THE FINALE STRENGTHS SOMEWHAT IN ADVANCE OF YOUR SHOW.

>> ANYONE THAT'S SMOKING I DON'T WANT ANY SMOKING BACK OF THE LINE RIGHT ACROSS HERE, OKAY?

>> BY 6:00 P.M.

UNDER THE CAREFUL NUDGING OF A SMALL HARBOR TUG, THE NORTH STAR FOURTH OF JULY SHOW HEADS FOR OPEN WATER.

>> ALL THESE SAILBOATS HERE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE.

THERE IS 150 YARD SAFETY ZONE AROUND THIS BARGE.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE.

>> BY THE TIME THE FIREWORKS BARGE REACHES THE HARBOR BREAKWATER THINGS ARE PRETTY WELL UNDER CONTROL, AT LEAST EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE CONTROLLED.

>> AFTER WE'RE DONE AND EVERYTHING SET UP HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO GET OURSELVES ORGANIZED, GET OUR HEADS TOGETHER.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAY BE AS MUCH AS A COUPLE OF HOURS TO GO BEFORE THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY AND ONE THING I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED WITH IS WEATHER CONDITIONS.

OFTENTIMES WE HAVE NO PROBLEM, BUT ONCE IN A WHILE YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT THERE MAY BE SOME WEATHER THAT'S GOING TO BE THREATENING.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THAT'S MY NEXT CONCERN IS TO LOOK AT WHAT THE WEATHER SITUATION IS AND WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

>> HAPPY 4th, EVERYBODY!

>> AS INFECTIOUS ANTICIPATION OF A FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS BEGINS WORKING ITS WAY AMONG THE GATHERING CROWDS ON SHORE, THE WEATHER TAKES A TURN FOR THE WORSE.

>> I'VE GOT THE GUY STANDING HERE THAT'S GOING TO LIGHT OFF THE FIREWORKS.

>> THIS IS DAVE LEARNED.

>> I'M IN CHARGE OF THE FIREWORKS SHOW TONIGHT.

>> WHAT DO YOU SEE ON YOUR SCOPE AROUND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE?

>> OF COURSE THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU GET OUT ON A FIREWORKS SHOW AND YOU GET SET UP IS THE DEAL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BAD WEATHER COMING UP EITHER JUST BEFORE OR DURING THE SHOW.

IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE RAINED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON YOU CAN SEE IT'S GOING TO RAIN ALL DAY AND ALL EVENING, NO PROBLEM.

YOU DON'T BOTHER TO GO THERE.

ONCE YOU GO AND YOU SET UP AS WE DID IN BURLINGTON, THEN WE SEE THEY NOR MOUSE THUNDERSTORM COMING DOWN THE LAKE, THAT BECOMES REALLY TERRIBLE.

>> ONE HOUR TO SHOW TIME THE SKIES OVER BURLINGTON CLOSE IN AS THE FAST-APPROACHING STORM FRONT THREATENS A CANCELLATION.

>> IT'S SCARY.

IT'S FRUSTRATING.

AND IT MAKES YOU FEEL VERY HELPLESS.

>> WE WERE LUCKY THAT NIGHT.

THE STORM CAME DOWN THE LAKE, AND THE MAJOR PORTION OF IT WENT NORTH OF US, ANOTHER CELL WENT TO THE SOUTH OF US AND WE JUST CAUGHT THE KIND OF IN BETWEEN THERE.

>> READY?

>> GO!

>> UNDER CLEARING EVENING SKIES, THIS YEAR'S FOURTH OF JULY SHOW FINALLY GETS UNDERSTAND WAY WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL SET PIECE CONSISTING OF FOUNTAINS AND GROUND BOMBS.

THE BOMBS ARE INGENIOUSLY DESIGNED TO EXPLODE AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE BARGE, REFLECTING AND MAGNIFYING EACH CONCUSSION.

FROM THE SECURE VANTAGE POINT OF SPECTATORS ON SHORE IT EVOKES THE USUAL OOHS AND AHHS.

BUT ON THE FIRING LINE IT'S DIFFERENT.

>> I HOPE THREES NOT A SALUTE IN THERE.

HELP HIM.

SOMEBODY HELP HIM.

OKAY, I WANT THAT RIGHT AFTER THE MIDPOINT.

MOVE!

MOVE!

LOAD THAT.

DON'T CHANGE -- JUST LOAD FROM THIS SIDE.

>> A FIREWORKS SHOW IS A LOT DIFFERENT TO A PERSON WHO IS SHOOTING IT THAN IT IS TO THE SPECTATORS TWO OR 300 YARDS AWAY.

YOU DON'T SEE MUCH OF THE FIREWORKS SHOW WHEN YOU'RE SHOOTING IT YOURSELF BUT IF YOU DO YOU'RE LOOKING STRAIGHT UP.

AND IT LOOKS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE THAN IT DOES WHEN YOU'RE AT AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE SHOOTING THE FIREWORKS.

COVERED WITH ASHES AND BATHED IN SMOKE AND ERIES FOR FORESTENS OF THE FLARES LEARNED IS THE UNDISPUTED MASTER OF HIS FIERY WORLD.

>> BRING UP THAT STROBE SHELL.

NEXT TIME YOU COME UP.

MAKE SURE I KNOW ABOUT IT.

THE STROBE SHELL.

>> IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

IT'S ALSO A LOT OF HARD WORK.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPL WHO CAN WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER IN ORDER TO CARRY OFF A SHOW LIKE THAT SUCCESSFULLY.

ONE THING I TRY TO DO ALWAYS IS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, GIVE THEM A PEP TALK, WE GET EXCITED.

>> NICE SHOTS UP THERE.

YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, GANG.

KEEP IT UP!

WE ARE NOT DONE!

NOW LET'S PICK UP THE PACE.

LET'S MOVE IT.

>> AS THE SHOW PROGRESSES THE RATE OF FIRE INCREASES.

THIS IS WHEN MISHAPS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR.

SHELLS THAT FAIL TO FIRE POSE THE BIGGEST DANGER.

HERE THE CLEANOUT MAN NARROWLY ESCAPES INJURY WHEN A SUPPOSEDLY SPENT MORTAR FIRES IN HIS FACE.

>> WATCH IT.

YOU ALL RIGHT?

>> DANGER CAN ALSO COME IN THE FORM OF A SHELL THAT EXPLODES AT LOW ALTITUDE.

>> WATCH IT!

OKAY, UNCOVER THE FINALE.

WE'RE GOING TO SAVE THE TEN TO THE END OF THE FINALE.

EVERYBODY GET BEHIND THE BARRICADE.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIG FINALE, LEARNED MUST GO IT ALONE.

SOMEONE HAS TO BE AT HAND TO QUICKLY RESTART THE ALL IMPORTANT FUSE STRING SHOULD IT FAIL, BUT THE CONCENTRATED EXPLOSIVE DANGER OF THIS MANY SHELLS IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY DICTATES THAT ONLY ONE PERSON TAKE THE RISK.

>> VERY GOOD, EVERYBODY.

EXCELLENT JOB.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND HELP YOURSELVES TO A BEER!

OKAY?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU, PETE, VERY MUCH.

>> THEY ARE JUST A MARVELOUS GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET IN THIS BUSINESS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE GRATIFYING ASPECTS OF IT.

I EXPECT I'LL BE IN THIS BUSINESS AS LONG AS I CAN BE.

I SOMETIMES THINK IT'S TOO MUCH HASSLE AND I'M GOING TO CHUCK IT ALL AND GO DO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE SANE I GUESS, BUT THE APPEAL IS ALWAYS THERE OF BEING SORT OF THE I TIN RANT MAGICIAN THAT COMES TO TOWN AND DOES HIS THING AND THEN IS GONE AND YOU WON'T SEE HIM AGAIN UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

THERE'S A CERTAIN AURA OR MYSTIQUE ABOUT THE WHOLE BUSINESS THAT IS QUITE APPEALING TO MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN IT.

>> FOR MORE CLASSIC PROGRAMS, VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG/FROMTHEAR