FDNY Blasting Unit Oversees the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks

The firing board that controls the release of all the fireworks.
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Although Independence Day is a treasured holiday for many New Yorkers, it’s considered one of the busiest days of the year for the FDNY’s Blasting Unit.

They oversee the six barges used for the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks display, each loaded with 6,000 to 7,000 fireworks shells and rockets.

On the barge, clusters of fireworks are divided into rows of steel racks, which Blasting Unit’s Chief Inspector Jim Lauer said ensures that if one explodes erroneously, the entire barge will not be jeopardized.

Each firework also is wired to a computer called a firing board that controls the show. These computers are located at the end of the barge in a safety container, which is a trailer sized box that serves as a protective shell for the workers. They used this computer system on July 1 also to test each shell and ensure they would fire without a hitch during the show.

Members of the FDNY's Blasting Unit. (L to R) Chief Inspector Jim Lauer, Deputy Chief Inspector Chuck Holzinger, Supervising Inspector Luis Romero and Supervising Inspector Andrew Dushynsky.

On July 4, six tugboats pull the barges to their locations on the Hudson River between 23rd and 50th streets.

Then, as millions gather to watch the spectacular display, members of the blasting unit take their places. Two or three members are stationed on each barge. One acts as the crew chief and sits in the safety container, while the other watches the explosions to ensure flares and embers are not hitting another barge.

Another member of the unit is stationed in the tugboat wheel house, ensuring the barges remain 1,000 feet apart and the same distance from shore. And other blasting inspectors are in the command posts, located on 27th Street and at the Intrepid overseeing the entire operation.

Among those working the event this year are Chief Inspector Lauer; Deputy Chief Inspectors L. McCassling, N. Criscuolo, C. Holzinger, M. Reardon, J. Cruz, F. Benjamin and D. Franco; Supervising Inspectors V. Singh, L. Romero, A. Dushynsky, N. Alexander, M Fredericks, A. Ayala, I. DeLeon, D. Chalmers, D. Connors, L. Gorback, O. Horton, P. Pulisciano and D. Crescenzo; and Inspectors M. Rivera, R. Reynolds, W. Burt and F. Prokipchuk.

The 23 minute show will begin at 9 p.m. on July 4. View Photo Gallery