When thousands of Kauaians look skyward for tonight’s Fourth of July fireworks spectacular at Vidinha Stadium, the man responsible for the show won’t be able to join them. Mark Fritzen, the pyrotechnician who will launch up to 700 “shells” from
When thousands of Kauaians look skyward for tonight’s Fourth of July fireworks spectacular at Vidinha Stadium, the man responsible for the show won’t be able to join them.
Mark Fritzen, the pyrotechnician who will launch up to 700 “shells” from gun mortars to synchronized music during the 20-minute show, will be focusing his attention on what happens at ground level – scanning the horizon to see where shells land and for possible fires from the launches.
Fritzen, a 44-year-old Maui resident, can appreciate a dazzling fireworks display like anyone else, but his first priority is safety.
“We don’t really watch the show. We look for the fallout from the shells, making sure they don’t go anywhere they aren’t supposed to go,” Fritzen said. “I want things to go right.”
During the fireworks portion of the Concert in the Sky festivities, shells will be fired from a battery of mortars positioned at the baseball field next to the stadium.
Some aerials will reach heights of more than 150 feet. And the crowd will see for the first time the firing of four or five “Happy Face” shells, which when exploded will look out on spectators with two eyes and smile, plus “some surprise” shells, Fritzen said.
All the shells are supplied by PyroSpectculars by Souza, a company based in Rialto, Calif. They were shipped by barge to Kaua’i.
With six volunteers, Fritzen set up the mortars on Monday. He planned to position the shells today for the fireworks show, which is scheduled from 8:30 to 8:50 p.m.
Fritzen said watching a pyrotechnician on Maui six years ago sparked his interest in that type of work.
“I saw the show and introduced myself (to the pyrotechnician), and I have been involved with it ever since,” Fritzen said. “I like fireworks, the flash and the light show.”
Fritzen said he trained under two experienced pyrotechnicians, secured letters of recommendation from two licensed pyrotechnicians to take a test for his license, and was issued one from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
He trained under one pyrotechnician who coordinated eight fireworks shows. To date, Fritzen has put on 30 such shows in Hawai’i, including one for the Hula Bowl and others in observance of Independence Day and New Year’s.
Fritzen is a part-time pyrotechnician, working full-time as manager of the Maui-based Blasting Technology Inc., a drilling and blasting contractor.
Fritzen, who is licensed to use explosives in Hawai’i, said fireworks are more dangerous than explosives.
“”Fireworks are more volatile. You can set them off with a match, cigarette, a spark,” he said.
Fritzen said he has never been involved in a fireworks accident and doesn’t anticipate any, mainly because safety is foremost on his mind.
“Yes, I want put on a great show, but it is all about safety,” Fritzen said.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
