PROVINCETOWN — Just after 9 p.m. on July 4, the lights of MacMillan Pier were shut off, fireworks began to launch from a barge in Provincetown Harbor, and hot streaks of red, green, purple, blue, and yellow made a canvas of the night sky.
Provincetown’s highway dept. operations manager Ray Duarte supervised the barge as a technician from Ocean State Pyrotechnics — the Rhode Island company that has organized Provincetown’s fireworks since the 1980s — fired off the 20-minute display. At MacMillan, amid “ooohs,” “ahhhs,” and sporadic rounds of applause, Mariah Carey’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” could be heard wafting from the speakers of a yacht.
The fireworks looked much the same as in prior years, but this year’s display was different, thanks to an April 2023 town meeting article that requested the use of “low-noise” fireworks in town-sponsored celebrations.
Article 21 was a nonbinding citizens’ petition from Shira Kavon. It said that low-noise fireworks were better for children, adults with autism, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, pets, and wildlife. It was endorsed by the select board, although not the visitor services board, and it passed easily.
John Ruggieri, CEO of Ocean State Pyrotechnics, said that designing a low-noise display involves replacing the concussive booms and bangs that often come at the climax of a show with fireworks that create rich color effects.
A variety of metal salts are responsible for the colors in the “stars” of each firework. Strontium compounds produce red, barium burns green, sodium makes bright yellow, and copper produces blue. These compounds are mixed to make other colors: strontium and copper compounds together, for instance, make shades of purple.
“Low-noise fireworks give you a visual without the audio,” said Ruggieri. “There is no aerial report because it breaks in the gun, but it still gives you that effect of a plume of color from the stars.”
“Low-noise,” however, does not necessarily mean quiet.
Curious about the new fireworks, an Independent reporter used an online decibel monitor to measure the loudness of the display. At the tip of MacMillan Pier, the upward hisses and eruptive booms ranged from 80 to 110 decibels — the equivalent of a telephone dial tone and a power saw from three feet away, respectively, according to the National Hearing Conservation Association.
Standard fireworks displays can often exceed 150 decibels.
Ruggieri said his company gets many requests for low-noise fireworks these days, especially at weddings and other family celebrations.
Cheers From the Pier
Provincetown started planning for the July 4th display six months ago with an application to the U.S. Coast Guard, which regulates fireworks displays over open water.
Sherry Prada, deputy director of public works, said the process also requires coordination with the town’s fire dept. for a permit and fire coverage, the water and sewer depts. for extra staffing, and the police dept. for traffic control. The DPW also scheduled staff for restroom maintenance, trash collection, and clean up.
At this year’s display, some viewers, particularly babies and children, could be seen wearing over-the-ear protection.
“I was with my two-week-old granddaughter who had little ear things on to protect her ears,” said Penny Vincent, who made the trip from Orleans to watch the fireworks with her family. “I didn’t notice that a lot of the fireworks were less noisy, but I noticed that some were.”
Other viewers worried about their pets.
Kevin Di Gesu and Becky Newton, who live in Chatham, watched the display from the trap shed on the pier where they sell clamshell art. Newton’s dog, Bella, stayed in a stroller inside the shed for the display.
“She’s not fond of loud noises,” said Newton. “At first, she was shaking, but then she settled down right after the fireworks started. I don’t know if the low noise made a difference.”
The show’s finale brought cheers from the viewers assembled on the pier and from boats anchored in the harbor.
“Instead of having all the big heavy salutes at the end, the whole sky fills up with these gold, lacy effects,” said Ruggieri. “It’s a punctuation mark — you get the same impact, so you know it’s the end of the show.”
In Wellfleet and Truro, particularly, the police and fire depts. are concerned about public safety risks that arise from amateur displays that are popular. “We can’t control if people have private displays, but we are staffing extra people through the weekend,” said Truro Fire Chief Tim Collins of his squad’s holiday plans. That staffing is “not just for fireworks, but for the usual increased call volume,” he added.
