NORTH SALT LAKE — It would have taken weeks for one person to create and choreograph Monday night's pyrotechnic spectacular in North Salt Lake.
Lucky for Ken Lantis, president of Lantis Fireworks, who shot Monday night's show, he had a bit of help.
Lantis and a few other pyrotechnicians endured a hectic hour before the show as they wired the gear, made sure everything was in place and checked the safety equipment.
Against the backdrop of a classic Great Salt Lake sunset, a crowd of thousands gathered.
As darkness settled in, Lantis flipped on a head lamp above a control panel, which held numbers, clamps and wires connected to hundreds of tubes stocked with fireworks. He briefed his crew on where to stand, and on the timing, and sent someone to handle crowd control. A quiet rehearsal was held and then the countdown began.
After the first touch on the control board, the sound was deafening. The sky lit up and debris fell, landing on shoulders and the ground nearby. Two fires began, but they were quickly put out and a series of blasts went off unexpectedly. But the patriotic anthems blared and the crowd screamed.
After the finale, ears were ringing — but Lantis and his crew were smiling, hugging — and the crowd was still cheering.
These pyros now have a day of cleanup ahead, but for them it was all worth it.
This time of year, pyrotechnicians in the company are working around the clock. But they say the 20-minute reward and thrill of a show is all they need to keep them going.
"An artist paints his picture on canvas. I like to paint mine in the sky — the explosions, the feeling. . . . It's still a rush, even after 60 years," Lantis said.
Lantis has been in the fireworks business since he was a child. But he still gets butterflies before shooting.
"Take the thrill of a roller coaster and times it by 100 — that's what you get," Lantis said
His father, Merle, founded the company in South Dakota in 1945.
Lantis took the reins some 30 years ago and has seen the company grow from a few fireworks stands to a multimillion-dollar business presenting displays in countries all over the world. But the headquarters are tucked away in Fairfield, Utah County, because Lantis said the state has the best skiing you can find.
According to Lantis, his company accounts for between half and two-thirds of Utah's pyrotechnic industry. And in the past three decades the company has expanded to include laser shows, confetti, indoor and outdoor pyrotechnics, and beam shows.
Lantis said he takes his shows seriously — not just because he is playing with fire, but because he takes it personally if one show is not better than the next.
"I always have to beat myself. It kind of scares me after 30 years knowing that I have to be better than last year, but it is very challenging and a lot of fun," he said.
Lantis doesn't have "stock" shows like other display companies. The hundreds of displays he presents each year are custom made. And after each show, before his crew packs up and leaves town, Lantis said he tries to sit down with clients and ask them what they thought, what they liked and what they wanted to see more of.
"I think all my customers are my friends, and you certainly don't want to give your friends a mediocre show," he said.
Many times while one of his pyros are shooting he will go out into the crowd and watch spectators' faces, observing their reactions and seeing "if they get it." For instance, when a song mentions love, he tries to show that emotion in the sky, he said.
He employs between 600 and 800 pyrotechnicians, and for some it's a dream job — getting to wow crowds, play with explosives, and experience a rush they say keeps them coming back.
Many of Lantis' employees are firefighters who have been trained by the company. Cory Wilcox, a fireman in Emery County, has been shooting displays for 15 years. Tonight, he will be presenting the official fireworks show for the city of Reno.
"When you're a kid, you love fireworks. I just haven't grown up," said Wilcox, who has shot around 150 shows, including Salt Lake City's First Night for the past three years. "But instead of the little tiny stuff, I am playing with the bigger things — it really keeps you in that fun moment of life."
Wilcox has been setting up for Reno's show literally all night and all day since Saturday. Cleanup will take another full day, but he said all the hard work, the danger and the travel are more than worth it for the 20 minutes when he gets to put fire in the sky.
"It's an awesome feeling to look out after you've pulled off something that someone has never seen before," Wilcox said. "If I can reach in someone's chest and grab ahold of their heart and play with emotions, it's an awesome experience."
Lantis' daughter, Catherine Lantis-Barrett, has been around the shows since birth. She helped shoot her own show for her 18th birthday party and has been a licensed pyrotechnician ever since.
Barrett and her husband are also trainers. They teach a pyrotechnics class at Salt Lake Community College. But the company also has its own training program.
Aside from the training, students must also certify with the Department of Transportation (so they can transport fireworks), the American Pyrotechnics Association and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
"It's hectic, it's busy but it's a rush," Barrett said.
She said during June and July, employees typically work around the clock with little rest.
But Lantis stays busy all year long. Only 26 percent of the company's revenue is earned in July. When Lantis and his employees are not putting on Fourth of July celebrations, they are working on shows for weddings, parties, holidays, birthdays and even funerals.
"We had a lady call us to do a show for her funeral about a week before she died," Lantis said.
Shows run anywhere from $500 to $100,000.
For many, it's a dream job. But at the end of the day, it's still playing with fire. It is a dangerous occupation, and Wilcox said he has had a few scares.
"If it doesn't go exactly right it can go wrong really fast — but as long as you wear all your protective equipment and protect yourself, really no matter what goes on we are ready for it to come at us," Wilcox said.
The company's own history is a testament to that danger. One of its employees was killed while on the job — something Lantis said was devastating for everyone.
"You have to be careful and respect that what you are doing is dangerous. . . . I have fired some people who weren't because I didn't want to bury them," Lantis said.
The company also has insurance to cover infrequent damages from sparks — anything from a hole in a sweater to roof damage. And Lantis said his company has been known for its history of safety.
The company has made a lot of changes since 1945. And according to Lantis, there is no slowing down. He is continuously traveling, making contacts and learning about how to beat his last show.
"I love it — I don't know why anyone would come to work and not like it," Lantis said. "I think God only gives you one time around and you better enjoy it."
E-mail: terickson@desnews.com