San Diego's Fireworks Show Over In 15 Seconds

First time accepted submitter fotoguzzi writes "Garden State Fireworks is investigating how the entire Fourth of July show was launched after a signal was sent to the barges that would set the timing for the rest of the show after the introduction. Can anyone suggest how such a trivial step could go so disastrously wrong?" It's not the first time such a thing has happened, either.

Comments

What are people complaining about?

[ceoyoyo]

The idea sounds awesome. The videos look awesome. They've all had probably a once in a lifetime experience. And the one guy in the article was complaining about having to pay for parking?

Re:What are people complaining about?

[l0ungeb0y]

I took your word for it and went to watch the video.
Can't really see what was so awesome about a big cloud of glowing smoke.

It might be awesome into you're into seeing things get blown up or are easily impressed with anything that goes boom. But when entire families spend their day camped out on the waterfront after a drive of who knows how long and paying the exorbitant parking fees, you can bet your ass they'd be upset.

They were expecting an artistically choreographed fireworks show -- not a Redneck BBQ.
The only once in a lifetime experience I see here is that they can fondly look back at the year the 4th of July was a complete ripoff.

Re:What are people complaining about?

[ceoyoyo]

They can see an artistically choreographed fireworks show next year. They probably saw one last year. Around here they do one every Thursday, all summer. How often do you get to see what happens when all the fireworks go off at once?

"The only once in a lifetime experience I see here is that they can fondly look back at the year the 4th of July was a complete ripoff."

Strange how people getting a fireworks show for free can feel ripped off. Quite the sense of entitlement, hey?

Re:How is that not better?

[CanHasDIY]

You could eat a 20lb sack of potatoes over the same timeframes. How does that not get better as time reduces?

The shorter the time frame, the more entertaining it is to watch someone try and devour 20lb of... well, anything.

Otherwise, why bother timing eating contests?

Re:Wasn't there...

[sarysa]

The people who think a fireworks display is worth all that wasted time would probably be fine with such a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, being laid back as they must be.

Testing Circuit Failure?

[weiserfireman]

Electric matches on the circuits take 5 milliamps to ignite them.

After the fireworks are loaded and wired up, testing is done to identify matches that aren't wired up right. Is there a chance that the testing process failed. On computer systems, it is pretty automated and happens fast. If the test resistor wasn't in the circuit properly, it might look like that.

Notes
I am a BATF licensed pryotechnician.
I assist with a small show every year (our last night went flawlessly)
I have never worked with a computer fired circuit

Re:Wasn't there...

[sarysa]

Welp, I don't normally respond to a cynical mod-down, but I'm dead serious with this one.

Lets face it, we all draw a line somewhere when we decide to attend something, right? I won't drive toward the beach (bay area) after 9am or so because that's when traffic becomes molasses, or stand in a long line for a slightly faster phone, or anything like that. Other people will. It takes a certain personality type to have the willingness to do so and I don't have it.

The intent of the above quip wasn't to disparage those who do, but I can only imagine that if I'm the impatient type who times recreational activity around minimal wasted time (traffic congestion, staring at loading bars, waiting in lines), those who are willing to do these things are either
A. much more laid back, or I suppose...
B. doing it for their kids. Maybe I should've mentioned that before.

In either case, a laid back person would think it's funny. A kid would think it's awesome. Kids haven't developed the sense of aesthetics needed to appreciate the rhythm and choreography behind the display -- they're just thinking "awesome, big explosion! Do it again!"

So if you're so pissed off by my statement that you feel the need to hit Underrated in the popdown, maybe you're not laid back enough for such recreational activity. :P

Re:maybe

[Ol Olsoc]

It was most likely just due to turning off the test mode. They were probably doing a last minute quick test to get the order correct. And forgot to put it into production delayed mode.

Ah - those sweet computers.

Which brings up an issue I have with modern fireworks displays. In our community, they have a pretty big fireworks display on the 4th. Big enough that people come from fairly far away to see it. They have been trying to outdo their selves every year, so what was once a really nice fireworks show is now a VIP Pass and pay-for event, synchronized with radio, computer controlled extravaganza that takes hours to get out of, so half the people try to leave while the display is still going on. All those headlights do not add to the ambiance, rest assured. They have had computer problems also, having to restart the show, ans restarting some of the tunes to re-synchronize. As a joke, I noted that it was probably a acrobat reader, or HP printer update.

Coupled with the "We are so damned great and awesome" ads and news stories for it, the whole event has become more of an ordeal than enjoyable.

Then a year or two ago, I happened upon a private fireworks display with a couple families and their children. A few hundred rockets, and the children playing with sparklers. Completely hand done, no synchronized music or anything. I enjoyed that a whole lot more than the "Bigger and better than last year" events by a long shot. Since then, I seek out the small shows.