Screams of excitement from the back seat arose everytime we drove by a newly constructed fireworks stand on a corner in town. "Mommy, Mommy - when can we buy our fireworks?" "I want da smoke bombs mommy wit' all da pwetty cowols" - "I want the big rocket ones with parachutes that make big poppy noises up high mommy" - "I want those snakes that grow big that you step on and they go squish mommy" ...Yes the fun sounds of the season. And while the 4th of July has probably been one of my favorite holidays of all times with memories of skiing at Lake Wabaunsee, boat parades, lounging on the docks or lazy inviting floats all day and watching the big firework displays at night, I cant help but chuckle at our many potentially catastrophic firework incidents over the years. When I was a child, the old jumping jacks that shot into my grandmas cedar tree next to the house and burst shooting 6 foot tall beads of yellow flames towards the wooden shingles of her roof - people scampering every which direction running to find water! Or the time when the pasture started on fire near the house, the firework that fell over and shot directly onto the kids blanket at a show and exploded. And of course the scary event at some friends of ours house when the entire $1,000's of dollars worth of fireworks display was on their trailer and 1 fireworks spilt over and set the entire trailer of fireworks off at 1 time - injuring a girl that was assisting. Working near a home insurance office I think to myself how much these insurance agents must be on pins and needles during this time of year. There are risks that we take this time of year that are just unavoidable but if I can recommend a few safety items from our experiences, they may be these: 1) Check with your insurance agent and make sure you are insured for personal belongings and have had a recent analysis 2) Always have water close and handy whether it be from a hose or a few bucket fulls 3) First aid kits are always a plus 4) DON'T shoot fireworks in fields or dry grass areas - especially in the Midwest if rain has not been a recent visitor 5) Shoot items away from a home and far enough away from people to give them a chance to RUN when mishaps occur :) 6) Keep fireworks on a hard surface such as concrete or heavy large stable boards not grassy, unstable areas. #6 proved to be the issue in this years 2009 fireworks display. We had taken a larger nightworks piece out far enough away from the barn full of family so we thought we'd be safe...the first shot goes off and set a gorgeous array of colors in the sky - the next one immediately after shot into the pasture and exploded near ground (signifying the firework tipped over) the next one shot out directly opposite towards the dog kennel and goose and exploded - about that time words came out of my father-in-laws mouth to the effect of "OH NO, It better not shoot over..." we saw it coming - a flameball - directly under grandma's chair while she held 2 of the babies and next to grandpa with another little one and the WHOLE pile of fireworks waiting yet to be set off. It exploded under her chair setting sparks everywhere - everyone swinging blankets at the sparks - all the kids screaming in hysterics - and of course us adults laughing in hysterics while behind this firework was still shooting its 12 flaming balls off in different directions (we figured everytime it shot, it spun itself around another direction causing the inconsistency). It was a great evening despite the now childrens trauma and memories - thankfully everyone was safe and unharmed except for the continued worries from the kids til their heads nodded off to bed "mommy, don't get that one again."
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