The setting up of your fireworks presents a ideal opportunity to improve safety. Many accidents are caused each year through simple ignorance of how each type of firework works, and lack of any preparation for its use. Staking out your fireworks, for example, might sound a tiresome task but it can almost totally eliminate the possibility of anything falling or tipping over. In this section we take a look at the various types of fireworks and suggest ways of setting them up to reduce these risks.

Thank you to The Firework Store for their kind sponsorship of this section so that we can continue to offer this valuable information free to all our visitors.

Perhaps the biggest single step in an amateur displayer's career is the transition from the "take the fireworks out one at a time" approach to "set everything up beforehand" instead. The latter being how the professionals do things, of course.

Naturally, if you're just displaying a few items, or small selection boxes for example, setting everything up to the extent shown in this section would be overkill. However, even modest garden displays can benefit considerably from the advice in this section to make life easier for you and safer for the crowd. In any case, we recommend the safe setting up of all display fireworks regardless of how many you are firing.

The advice here is intended as a guide for you. Remember to use your common sense at all times. We believe that it is better to go over the top setting things out than not to bother. The key issue is safety.

If you're a back garden displayer and normally just take the fireworks out and set them off one by one, here's some advantages to setting everything up beforehand:

	It can reduce or eliminate gaps between each firework so your timing is better.
	The next one is already in position ready to fire.
	It reduces pressure considerably because you're not rushing backwards and forwards to get the next firework.
	You don't need to think on your feet when setting out each new firework, it's already set up in a safe and secure position - this reduces the risk of hurrying and setting something up the wrong way, or of something tipping over.
	You can set up during the day when you can see, not in the dark under torch light.
	In the unlikely event of an accident (eg. cross ignition), your fireworks are already safe and secure in their intended firing positions, not lying around.
	It looks more professional.

As we said earlier, it's your choice whether you employ this method of setting up or whether you think your display is best suited to taking the fireworks out and lighting them individually. The rest of this section is geared towards setting them out beforehand but if you're not, please still read through it for useful advice on the potential dangers of each type of firework.

For a modest sized display, say a few hundred pounds worth of fireworks or more, allow two to three hours for setting up. Allow extra time for set-pieces such as fire writing and lancework which require mounting on timber frames. Don't worry about the weather, we'll show you how to make your arsenal waterproof!

You'll need extra equipment when setting up early. This includes:

	Wooden stakes, lots of them: A variety of lengths is recommended from several feet high (for large candles etc.) to small stakes for smaller items. A stake per firework is about right but some always break so make sure you've got a few extra. A local junkyard is a good source of timber for these, which you can saw up and point.
	Cable ties, string or tape: For securing fireworks to the stakes. What you use is down to personal preference or what you have available, as long as it's strong. You can use thick string or rope, or strong tape wound around the firework and stake. We use plastic cable ties which are extremely strong and very quick to set up.
	Bin bags, clingfilm and foil: You'll need to at least damp proof fireworks set out early on grass, even if it's dry at the time. You can use bin bags or clingfilm. Foil makes a handy weather and spark proof cap to each firework. Again, experiment to find the method best for you.
	Timber posts: Bigger posts are needed for items such as wheels and set pieces.
	Bricks, paving slabs or wooden panels: Some items such as conic fountains are not easy to stake out because of their shape and need to be set out on a firm surface (not springy grass). Take something firm and flat for each one.

UKFR members setting up fireworks for a competition. As you can
see, enough support material for a display can take up a lot of room!

You'll need a few tools and other items as well! Here's a checklist:

	A knife: For opening firework boxes and packaging and freeing the fuse from the body of some fireworks, a knife is essential.
	A sledgehammer: Worth its weight in gold, this will make staking out easy. Without this you're in trouble!
	A spade: For digging holes to hold the larger timber posts.
	Torches and spare batteries: For you and other firers. Essential equipment. Have at least one torch per person and a few spares if possible. Check your batteries are fresh before you go and always take some spares. Don't buy cheap batteries you'll only regret it later - those special offers in QD are too good to be true!
	Wire cutters: If you use cable ties, wire cutters are the easiest way to cut them when clearing up.
	Gloves: For firing but also for setting up, to avoid splinters from stakes.
	Launch tubes and other firework related equipment: Don't get on site to find you've brought the rockets but not their launch tubes!
	Portfires: Get as many of these as you can because they can always be kept for the next display. If you're short of these on the night your display could go down the pan halfway through.
	Lighter: To get the portfires started. Each firer should carry a lighter in case they're caught between portfires and as a back up.
	Plenty to eat and drink: You can be on site for many many hours. The more food you take, the less you have to leave the site (and never leave the site unsupervised).
	A mobile phone: To keep in touch and in case of emergencies.
	A first aid kit: For obvious reasons.
	Fire extinguishers: Recommended for larger or public displays.
	Warm clothing: You'd be amazed how a warm summer's afternoon can turn into a cold evening. Take some extra layers.
	Protective clothing: Remember your goggles, helmet, gloves, boots and any other safety clothing you'll be wearing such as overalls.
	Firing order: You'll need this to set up and to rehearse. If you forget it, you'll have to make everything up and "act cool as if you meant it", heheh....

If you get involved in setting up big displays, one lesson you'll soon learn is that
after completing the setting up (in the light) it can be quite a wait until the fireworks
are due to start. So, take enough food, drink, warm clothes and in this case, a chair!

Again this list is by no means exhaustive and like any major event, you'll always forget something (we do!).

Within the firework zone (as explained in the previous section) you generally put the biggest items towards the back. To keep your display moving and in the right sequence, you need to structure the display so you know what firework to light next.

You could memorise the order, but we have found in the heat of battle that you can quickly get out of sequence particularly if you have to change plans due to an item not firing. Experience has shown us that using the layout of your fireworks to dictate order is much simpler.

For example, have a look at how these cakes are set out:

Starting with cake 1, the firer lights this and then moves across to cake 2. This will take them a safe distance away from cake 1 while it is going off, and in the right place for the next firework. As cake 1 is finishing, the firer lights cake 2 and moves over to cake 3, and the process is repeated through the sequence.

If you have more than one firer, each firer can have their own section of fireworks.

As you can see here, you set the fireworks up in the right firing order. In the display itself, all you have to worry about it getting to the next firework. The sequence is already laid out!

Numbering your fireworks can help some firers, but you can normally see which is the next firework in a line - the waterproofing will be blown off. You can also use tin foil on the top of each firework, this protects it from sparks and gives a very clear visual indication of whether it has fired or not.

If you need a prompt at any point (eg. to break away from the line and go and set off a rocket or firework in a different area), use whatever method will work best for you. Some members use a visual marker like a glowstick next to the last firework in a sequence.

On the day you'll also need to take into account wind direction. Ideally the wind should be blowing towards the fall out zone. You may need to move things slightly to take this into account, or extend the safety distance to compensate.

At some venues it may be impossible to have the "perfect" wind direction blowing from front to back. Less desirable is a side wind, but this can be compensated for by having a larger safety and fall out zone down wind and angling the fireworks accordingly.

Please note that rockets track into the wind on their way up and the stronger the wind, the more pronounced this effect. This is because the wind acts against the stick, tilting the rocket.

Wind blowing towards the audience is bad news. Unless you have a huge safety zone, you'll have to think about avoiding large items such as category three rockets. Remember the firework's effects will be blown with the wind both on the way up, and down.

It's often the case that a windy afternoon calms down a bit in the evening, so don't worry if it's a bit gusty while setting up (unless the forecast is for windy conditions, of course). If the wind is still strong when you come to display, but moderating, consider pushing back the start time, eg. from 8pm to 9pm, as a last chance to see if things improve.

Surprisingly, some wind is better than none at all (within reason) - it clears the smoke away.

In the event of really bad weather your safety, and public safety, are paramount. Although a called off display disappoints, ultimately people will respect why you had to do it. Disappointment through lack of fireworks is better than anger through injury from a dangerous display. Never, ever feel pressurised into continuing if it would be unsafe to do so.

Aside from wind, the other main weather factor is rain. It's not as bad as it sounds though, and rain is nowhere near as much of a spoiler as you'd imagine. A calm but wet night is better in some respects than a dry but windy night.

It's quite easy - and cheap - to beat the rain. In each of our specific firework sections coming up we'll show you how they can be rain proofed with great effectiveness.

Spyrotechnics' demo evening was the wettest conditions in which I have ever
watched fireworks. Despite appalling weather, only one item out of many
dozens failed, thanks to taking time and effort waterproofing the fireworks.

The key to beating the wet is preparation. Get the bulk of your fireworks covered before you get on site if it's raining during the day too.

Take care because even slight exposure to rain can render an uncovered fuse useless.

As with wind, you'll have to decide on the night whether the rain is too strong to fire. Light rain isn't too much of a problem, but steady and heavy rain is liable to render some fireworks impotent when they're uncovered or mask or subdue the effect. Rain poses more of an aesthetic dilemma than a safety one - but if it's raining hard and windy, forget it.

The worst side effects of rain are less spectators and a hard slog clearing up!

In the next section we look at some specific advice for each type of firework. Click here.