WORTH TWP — Safety is a priority as preparations are made for the fireworks convention starting this weekend at Cooper’s Lake Campground.

Steve Bicehouse, director of Butler County emergency services, said his office, county Sheriff Mike Slupe, Butler state police, the state Department of Transportation and volunteer fire departments are working together to be ready for the Pyrotechnics Guild International event, “BOOM & a Blast.”

“We’re going to try and make it as safe and smooth an event as possible,” Bicehouse said.

Slupe agreed: “It’s all about public safety.”

Boom and a Blast will run from Sunday to Aug. 16.

During the day the event is open only to Pyrotechnics Guild International members, who will attend seminars, meetings and activities.

Starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Aug. 14 and Aug. 16, the campground will be open to the public who can visit vendors, look at displays, buy food and listen to music.

At 8:30 p.m. on those four days, a massive fireworks display is planned which is expected to attract thousands each of those nights.

While safety plans still are being finalized, some measures have been set.

Bicehouse said with fireworks being set off, emergency crews have to prepare for the worst.

The county’s casualty trailer will be stationed at the campground in case fireworks would accidentally land in the crowd.

“It’s just in case,” Bicehouse said.

Slupe agreed they must plan for a worst-case scenario.

“There could be a catastrophic incident,” he said. “Remember, we’re dealing with fireworks.”

The trailer carries supplies needed for any type of disaster, including burn treatment equipment, backboards, stretchers and oxygen.

While the guild has hired a private ambulance service to be at the event, local EMS personnel will be offered space to be stationed nearby.

The county will have a 911 dispatcher at a command post outside the campground off Route 422 to coordinate all calls related to or in the vicinity of the event.

Bicehouse said such 911 calls would go through the dispatch center then be forwarded to the dispatcher.

“We’d rather be there to deploy,” he said.

Bicehouse is working with the Lawrence and Mercer county emergency services, who also will be on standby during the event.

“It’s right there on the (county) line,” he said.

Slupe’s deputies will assist state police with traffic control as thousands of motorists are expected to tie up Routes 422 and 19.

“There could be four points along 422 where we’ll have deputies,” he said.

A state police spokesman was unavailable for comment.

Bicehouse said light towers will be used to ensure people directing traffic are visible to motorists and PennDOT will station message boards along roads.

“We expect traffic to be interesting,” he said.

PennDOT plans several traffic control measures.

To account for the ramp from Route 422 to Interstate 79 being closed during a construction project, motorists leaving the lake will be detoured to Route 19.

PennDOT warns drivers to expect congestion on I-79 next week, especially between 7 to 11 p.m. this Sunday and Aug. 13, 14, and 16 due to scheduled fireworks displays.

Motorists won’t be permitted to stop or park along I-79 to watch the fireworks.

The Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company will have a brush truck and a tanker at the campground to support the guild’s own firefighters.

“We’ll supply them with water,” said Slippery Rock Chief Dave Taggart.

Bicehouse said the Portersville Volunteer Fire Company also will lend support.

He is trying to minimize county overtime costs by using part-time dispatchers to man the command post.

Slupe said scheduling deputies makes some costs unavoidable.

“There’s going to be overtime,” he said.

Slupe pointed out the event, which is expected to be larger than any event held here in recent history, should draw people from across the county and other areas.

Jake Weiland, assistant manager at Moraine State Park, said that he expects the event to be “overwhelmingly large,” flooding northwestern Butler County with people. He expects day use at the park will increase during the week, but that does not concern him.

“We’re built for the visitors,” Weiland said.

He said his primary concern is the number of boats that will be on Lake Arthur, both during the day and night. He thinks that a lot of people will come to the park at night to go out on the lake to see the fireworks.

“None of us knows how well you can see from the lake,” Weiland said.

The park’s South Shore and Lakeview Beach close at sunset, but he said that North Shore Drive remains open 24 hours a day.

He anticipates that there will be some people at the bike rental area on the North Shore trying to view fireworks. If the park sees people doing that, Weiland said it will encourage them to go to Cooper’s Lake to watch the event, but will not be heavy-handed about it.