Sparks rain down all over you, but you wear a hat to keep them out of your hair. All our shirts have burn holes in them. One of the biggest worries in staging a fireworks display is the weather. Firing salutes before a show, besides having the effect of teasing the crowd, helps to check wind speed and direction. A little breeze is ideal to blow away the smoke created by the explosions, but the show must be postponed if there is too much wind.
Weather conditions can sometimes make pyrotechnic operators wonder why they're in the business.
It poured down rain for hours, and we were out there in a thunderstorm in a big field, under a tree, trying to keep the shells dry. We were basically doing everything they say you shouldn't do when there's thunder and lightning. I was running around with a staple gun trying to keep the plastic cover down because the wind kept blowing it off. Eclipsing the disappointments are the memories of outstanding shows. It started out with a column of skiers skiing down the mountain holding flares.