Fireworks crew gets ready to launch Baltimore into the new year
BALTIMORE -- Charm City will ring in the new year with fireworks at midnight on Dec. 31.
The city's large-scale fireworks display requires a specialist's touch since it's a dangerous job. WJZ is the proud media sponsor of Baltimore's annual New Year's Eve celebration.
"When the clock strikes midnight, I get to hit the magical button 'fire', and this is the button that everybody in the city is going to be waiting for," Tim Small, the director of pyrotechnics for Image Engineering, said.
Small is the man who will launch Baltimore into the New Year.
Small's first career was in the law enforcement field. He decided to leave that life to focus on his passion for fireworks.
Small showed WJZ's Caroline Foreback what it takes to put together a fireworks show capable of dazzling thousands of people.
There are about 800 fireworks on the barge, and each one has to be individually and carefully wired.
"Each individual shell is pinned in one by one, and the computer knows exactly down to the millisecond when we're going to send up this exact shell," he said.
Image Engineering's head pro designer, Zach Paul, choreographed the show.
"I've been working on this particular show probably since the beginning of December just trying to get it perfect," he said.
Before working for Image Engineering, Paul did fireworks shows at Disney World.
"What separates a good fireworks show from a bad fireworks show is the choreography and timing," he said.
Precision and safety are key when dealing with thousands of pounds of explosives, though.
"We take our time and make sure everything is done right," Small said.
In the end, it all comes down to the press of a button. Click, boom.
"It never gets old," Small said.