MT. PLEASANT–Once again, the Mt Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department came through with a brilliant fireworks display on the Fourth of July. Lots of regional activities were canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, but when it came to lighting up the night sky, Mt Pleasant City firefighters put on a great show.

Mother Nature joined in with a brilliant full moon that rose above the Manti-La Sal mountains just before the fireworks began, making the display even more spectacular.

Many observers parked their vehicles and sat inside them or on their tailgates while others sat in the city park to watch the fireworks. Seeing the full Buck Moon rise was a bonus that perhaps some did not expect.

Mt. Pleasant Fire Department volunteers start preparing the fireworks display months in advance. Mt. Pleasant Fire Chief Sam Draper said they start ordering the fireworks in May to have them arrive by mid-June.

During the next couple of weeks, the firefighters, led by Chief Draper, spend many hours of their own time prepping the electronics and racks that synchronize the display.

On the Fourth of July, it is all firefighters on deck at the city park at 1 p.m. to begin the arduous process of setting up. Traditionally, the set up starts right after the parade ends, but this year, due to COVID-19, there was no parade, which made the schedule a little less hectic.

The 20-minute fireworks display is well loved by the community and has become an iconic part of Mt. Pleasant’s Fourth of July celebration. But Chief Draper notes that once the grand finale is over, the firefighters are still at the park tearing down until midnight.

This year, there were 12 firefighters working on the display on the Fourth of July, and the department spent about $14,000 on fireworks, which is a little more than normal, according to Chief Draper.

With COVID-19 causing the parade cancellation and adding so much stress to citizens’ lives, Chief Draper and the volunteer firefighters made every effort to make the 2020 fireworks display even more spectacular than ever.

Thanks go to Chief Draper and the Mt. Pleasant volunteer firefighters for a great Fourth of July finale.