Fire Prevention Oversees Macy's 4th of July Fireworks

The Macy's 4th of July Fireworks light up the sky over New York City every year . and every year members of the FDNY's Blasting Unit, as part of Fire Prevention, oversee the pyrotechnics.

For more than a week before the holiday, members oversee the planning, transport and set up of the more than 32,000 lbs. of explosives. They also require that every member of the pyrotechnics team - who come from as far away as California and Washington - is licensed and certified by the FDNY.

On July 4, several members of Fire Prevention man each of the six barges that ride into the Hudson River.

Just before the show begins, a radio syncs up computers on each of the barges and then the fireworks show begins with the touch of a button. It is choreographed to music, with hundreds of different types of shells used, including several never before seen. In all, there were 49,000 shells included in the 2011 show.

A few Fire Prevention members sit on the barge, watching to make sure there are no fires or explosions on the surface. If the situation is bad enough, they say they can stop the show.

Others will sit on the tugboat that pulls each of the barges, ensuring no embers fall onto the boats and that each of the barges remain at least 100 feet apart for safety.

After the show finishes and there is a brief cool-down period, Fire Prevention members quickly walk across the barge to ensure that all fires have been extinguished. Later they will help count and secure any un-exploded shells and make sure they are transported out of the city safely.

It is a tremendous amount of work for a 28 minute show, but all the Fire Prevention members say it is worth every second.