4th of July

One perk to being a volunteer firefighter in our part of the country is the ability to make ourselves nearly deaf, create mutiple fires and get perpertually honked at by enthused moterists/spectators during the Fourth of July Fireworks Show. The ritual begins with sorting through each individual firework and boxing it according to the official lineup list (Top Row). Then we haul the assortment to the highest point visable in Jordan, complete with engines and HP escort. Department members take great pride in making sure the fuses are exposed, pointed in the "correct" direction and fuse line run "in the appropriate length." Take note that "correct" and "appropriate" measures have varied with experimentation over the years! (Middle Row) Finally, the same brave one among us each year is handed a propane torch, headlight and plenty of "Remember Daddy - Stop, Drop and Roll"s from his concerned children. As he speeds from line to line, we watch the show from the engines parked nearby and rush to stop out any spot fires. Fortunantly, this year we received enough moisture to stop 99% of the sparks from flying (the other 1% keeps it interesting). A lightning storm heavily competed with the action, with our group huddled around the vehicles prior to start time...hoping not to disappoint our audience but drawing the line at turning ourselves into roman candles. Right at the usual start time, the first storm passed and gave us just enough time to fit in the 1/2 hr show before the next storm hit.