photo credit: courtesy Drew Dominguez
Judy Groverman Walker and Drew Dominguez prepare a major fireworks display.

As the nation gears up to celebrate another Independence Day, have you ever thought about being the one who actually lights the fireworks display?

In this special feature, KRCB’s Michelle Marques explores what it really takes to put on the big show.

Drew Dominguez is a safety rep in Santa Rosa by day, a volunteer pyrotechnician by night, and he can take you behind the scenes of a fireworks display like nobody else.

“The process of putting those things together is just a lot of work. It's a lot of stinky, smelly work. Really smelly. And um - Why is it so smelly? All the sulfur and saltpeter, all the ash, and dirty, you're filthy. And then you're sweating, it's the middle of the day, you're out in the middle of the field, it's red hot, you know, and you're just loading these bombs into holes and then it comes time to launch them," said Dominguez.

His love for things that go boom started as a kid, but he learned vital rules early on.

“If you can have the respect for fire before you have launched off fireworks, then it's really important," said Dominguez. "And the reason there's no fireworks in Rohnert Park now, there's a reason there's not. And that's because people don't respect the flame.”

A friend in Fresno encouraged Dominguez to volunteer on fireworks displays, and that’s where he got his start. He says that most displays are electronically fired, but the ones he loved to do were hand-lit.

“With Kurt and his troop, it was a hand light show, which is almost disappeared completely in America. Like nobody wants to do hand light shows anymore cuz it's very dangerous," Dominguez said. "And as you light a shell and it goes up, you need to have a partner watching you because there's so much fire, flames and shrapnel coming out of that tube that you easily could become on fire and not know it. So somebody's totally tapping you out, right? And putting you out. No, you had someone put flames out on you? My daughter, Abra. My god.”

Dominguez says at one point his daughter Abra decided during a fireworks display that she was done.

“She got to a certain point and she stopped. I said, "What's what's going on?" She goes, "Just finish it off. I'll tell you later." And I said, "Okay." So, we light the fuse and I finished the show and I said, "What happened to you?" And she goes, "I realized what we were doing. And that's really really dangerous.” I said, "Oh, yeah, yeah." I mean, you blow yourself up right there, right? And she's like, "I realized that." And it took her a whole year to get over whatever that was, and then she jumped right back into it because you're jonesin’ for it like a fix, right?" said Dominguez. "I mean, like you just like lighting that fuse. And when you light the fuse, it's not like lighting a fuse on a firecracker. It's not like lighting a fuse on a Piccolo Pete. It's like lighting a fuse and it immediately comes out of the hole. Like you barely touch the fuse with the thing and poof, it's out of the ground, right? Wow. So, like that's why you barely can - your back is to the fireworks. You're barely looking over your shoulder at the fuse. And you turn as fast as you can because that shrapnel comes out. That flash and the thunder, the smoke that pops out of that thing. All of them to me always seemed like being a pirate, right? And you've got the the head pirate, the Captain Kurt and Kurt would be like, "Shoot me two threes. I need two ones. Give me four fours." You know, it just sounded like, "Hit him in the broadsides, mate." You know, it was just so dangerous and so wonderful all at the same time. You couldn't hardly breathe. There was so much gas and smoke in the air. It was just a fantastic a fantastic pile of I should not really be here.”

He says it is vitally important to wear protective gear like sturdy boots, goggles, and jackets to ward against flames and shrapnel. For those crazy enough to want to be a part of a big fireworks display, Dominguez has this advice: volunteer!

“Go find the next firework show. Try and hit up the pyro or the guys that are putting it together and they'll probably be happy to to have you join their family. Because they're always looking for hard workers and then you become part of that thing. And a lot of times coming in the back door is the best door to come into," said Dominguez.

Editor’s Note: While there is some material ejected from the plastic pipes that house fireworks, which can be dangerous for those in close proximity, ‘shrapnel’ from fireworks is often from plastic or cardboard housings. Paper from firework casings can also catch fire, but it is rare that firework show operators will have clothing catch flame.

Any person using fireworks, personal and professional, should always adhere to usage guidelines and take necessary precautions like lighting fireworks one at a time, quickly creating distance between yourself and a lit fuse, and having a container of water nearby.