STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Now, this New Year's Eve is a day of celebration for some, and for others, a day of work.
PHIL GRUCCI: There's about 75 pyrotechnicians preparing for that proverbial push of the button at midnight.
INSKEEP: That is Phil Grucci, president of Fireworks by Grucci. And he's talking about one of the biggest New Year's Eve fireworks displays in the country on the Las Vegas strip. Grucci's family company has been producing displays for six generations. Ancient as fireworks are, the technology has evolved. The company uses microchips to time the explosions.
GRUCCI: The days of the cartoons when you used to watch Bugs Bunny, and you see a little rocket go up in the air and explode, out comes a flag. Now, we're able to produce things like that.
INSKEEP: And success is measured by the crowd's reaction.
GRUCCI: You can hear the crowd roar when something really tickles their fancy.
INSKEEP: And if it does not, Grucci makes note of it for another year.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FIREWORK")
KATY PERRY: (Singing) As you shoot across the sky. Baby, you're a firework, come on, let your colors burst. Make them go oh, oh, oh. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.