Shoot night checklist
Last reviewed 2026-10-24.
The night you shoot your show is not the night to wonder if you set it up right. The Fireworks Bible app has a Shoot night mode: a dark, large print screen for one hand that shows your saved show as a numbered run sheet, makes you look at a safety checklist before you mark the first firework, and keeps a countdown if one does not fire.
The checklist
These are the safety lines the app asks you to tick with everyone who is there. Every line is quoted word for word from the source named under it.
- “Read and follow all warnings and instructions.” Source: CPSC, Fireworks Safety.
- “Make sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.” Source: CPSC, Fireworks Safety.
- “Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house and flammable materials.” Source: CPSC, Fireworks Safety.
- “Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, in case of fire or other mishap.” Source: CPSC, Tips to Celebrate Safely, 24 June 2024.
- “Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.” Source: CPSC, Tips to Celebrate Safely, 24 June 2024.
- “Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse.” Source: CPSC, Tips to Celebrate Safely, 24 June 2024.
- “Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.” Source: CPSC, Tips to Celebrate Safely, 24 June 2024.
- “Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.” Source: CPSC, Tips to Celebrate Safely, 24 June 2024.
- “Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear.” Source: Ohio State Fire Marshal, fireworks flyer (2024).
- “Light fireworks outdoors on a driveway or other paved surface at least 25 feet away from houses and flammable materials” Source: Michigan LARA news release (1 July 2021).
- “If necessary, store fireworks in a cool, dry place.” Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Fireworks Safety Tips. New Hampshire State Fire Marshal adds: “Ensure fireworks are stored securely and out of children's reach.” (news release).
Sources: CPSC, Fireworks Safety (PDF) and Tips to Celebrate Safely, 24 June 2024.
Distances and the label on the box
CPSC's tips say to make sure other people are out of range but give no distance in feet. The Michigan LARA release above names 25 feet from houses and flammable materials. Ohio's State Fire Marshal flyer says non-aerial devices cannot be discharged within 50 feet of spectators and aerial devices within 150 feet of spectators. Other states and towns differ, and every firework's own label states how far back to stand, so read the label of each one before you light it. The label wins.
If one does not fire
CPSC says:
“Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.”
The app's Dud button starts a 20 minute countdown on the screen. The 20 minutes is the app's own timer, not a CPSC figure, and CPSC's tips give no wait time. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says: “Never re-light a "dud" firework (wait 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water).” If the firework's own label gives a longer wait, follow the label.
A web page cannot ring while your phone is locked or the app is closed. The countdown keeps true time from your phone's clock, so it is right the moment you open the app again, and it asks the phone to keep the screen on while it is open. Set a timer on your phone as a backup.
When the show is over
“After fireworks complete their burning, to prevent a trash fire, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding the device.”
What else Shoot night mode does
- Shows every firework in your saved show from Build a Show, in order, with its position, planned start time and length. The lengths are approximate.
- One big tap marks a firework fired and writes today's date into My Stash.
- Print the run sheet opens a plain page you can print or save as a PDF.
- My Stash keeps your quantity on hand, where you store it, where and when you bought it, what you paid, and what is left over after a show. You can export it as a spreadsheet file (CSV) that is made on your phone and sent nowhere.
The app never shows how to fuse, modify or build anything. For where fireworks are legal, see fireworks laws by state. To plan the show itself, see plan your first fireworks show.
Open Shoot night mode in the Fireworks Bible app A checklist, a run sheet and a dud timer for the night.