About two-dozen volunteers will watch the pyrotechnics from several spots across the city to see which launch location allows better viewing for people across the city and will be chosen as the place. The volunteers will have phones to record what they see from their viewing area for later evaluation.
The city, wanting to maintain physical distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic, wants a location away from the usual downtown area to reduce the congregating of large crowds. By using larger fireworks shells that shoot higher into the air, officials want to be able to tell residents optimal viewing locations and other areas to watch from.
Saurber said officials don’t want to encourage people to gather Friday for the tests, which only will include a few shells of different sizes. They therefore are not announcing the test locations. He did say one location will be in the northeastern part of the city, and the other to the southwest.
It may take a few days for the evaluation to be finalized.
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