Joe Boldt has been bringing the fireworks show to Sonoma for forty years. Anna Pier sat down with him at the Al Mazza Fire House on Second Street West to hear all about how he does it, how he got into it, his work as a Volunteer Captain, and the 250th celebration.
You live in Sonoma? Born and raised. I went to Flowery, Altimira and Sonoma Valley High. When I was a boy, my grandparents had a house where McCaulou’s is now, and the whole shopping center – across the street from Firehouse Number 1 on Second St West – was a pear orchard. I remember being a kid on my bike, watching from behind the police department the volunteer firefighters setting off the fireworks on the field at General Vallejo’s home. It was a Norman Rockwell scene. I said to myself, “I’ve got to get into that.”
And so you did. Yes, but it wasn’t a direct path. After high school, I went to automotive school, and worked for 23 years for Dodge dealerships. Since ’08 I have been fulltime Shop Supervisor for the entire Sonoma Valley Fire District. Anytime there’s an incident – a fire – I follow the rigs in another department vehicle, as the maintenance person. But I also might jump on a truck.
Where were you during the wildfires of 2017? I was on a truck in Glen Ellen. The first night, we were surrounded by fire three times, and I didn’t think we would make it out.
How did you start with the Department? In the ’83 floods, I wanted to be able to help the firefighters who were saving lives, getting people out, but I wasn’t trained. So I got into the volunteer training program, and in ’86 I started as a volunteer firefighter. That year I also began working with the three licensed pyrotechnicians, Al Mazza, Wayne Wyrick Sr and Norm Moll, learning how to run what were in those days, manual-lit shows. Now it’s all electric.
Explain about the manual-lit show. You would set up steel tubes in a trough, loading them with the shells. They had to be re-loaded. It was Russian roulette really. Hoping it doesn’t detonate in the tube as we reloaded. That could’ve taken your legs off. Thank goodness, we never had an injury. About 25 years ago, we switched to electric. I use three car batteries to produce 36 volts, to make the lift charge go off. The firing panel is 100 feet from the nearest shell. A regular show is about 1700 shells, or breaks, or effects. That takes about 25 minutes – that seems to be the sweet spot, the ideal length.
Have you ever thought about drone shows, that in some places are replacing the fireworks shows? That’s out of the question for here. They cost over $200,000. They require approximately 2,000 drones, which need to be stored somewhere, and they have batteries that need to be replaced, and other maintenance.
Anything new this year? When I talked about the fireworks budget with the Chief and our team, I reminded them this year is important to celebrate – the nation’s 250th anniversary. But I’m not telling anything more. Wait and see! Every year I hear, “It was the best show ever!”
How do you get licensed as a pyrotechnician? It’s through the state. You are required to have worked a minimum of ten shows; you have to have five letters of recommendation from licensed pyrotechnicians; and of course there is a background check.
What are all your responsibilities? I order all the fireworks in December. I take care of the actual launch site starting in February, keeping it all cut down. It needs to be scraped down to dirt. The whole field doesn’t get mowed till later, to not disturb the nesting birds. People see me out there scraping down the area and ask, “Are we having a party?” I tell them, ‘Yes, on the Fourth of July!’
Your team? Joe Neely is my right hand man, for 32 years. He always sets up the show, and shoots it. I am always watching the firing panel, to make sure there’s not a detonation in one of the tubes. The police department barricades the launch site, to keep people at least 1000′ back. They used to do it on horseback. Nowadays it’s on motorcycles.
Other challenges? And I have to watch the wind direction, and predicted speed. One year we almost had to cancel the show. And we have to clean up on the 5th. I am always in there at 5 or 6 AM, by first light, to make sure there’s nothing left. And we have to pick up all the equipment.
Any down sides to be the chief pyrotechnician? The sad part is that your kids – I have three – grow up without seeing their dad on the Fourth. They don’t even get near the launch site. Nobody does except my team. That night I work till about 1 a.m., tearing everything down. But my oldest son is a firefighter, he’s a Lieutenant with the San Francisco Fire Department.
What are your hobbies? Welding – fabrication in my shop of things I think of that help me work on projects around my property. And I love to take my 37’ motor home glamping – campfires with friends and family under the stars. And I’m a huge Halloween nut and I love to create props for the display in my front yard.
Any last thoughts for the community? On the Fourth, please come out and enjoy the day-long festivities on the Plaza, then come over to Gen. Vallejo’s field to watch the fireworks! And please pick up any belongings and dispose of your trash in the containers we provide. And if you love the annual Fireworks, please consider donating – the show is 100 percent made possible by the generosity of the public and its sponsors. HAPPY 250th.
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