FULL STORY: https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/safety-red-white-boom-columbus/530-eee1efcc-f16d-4674-bcc4-34b907b02c0d Fireworks will light up the Columbus skyline on Thursday night for Red, White & BOOM! — the biggest fireworks show in Ohio. Longtime fireworks director Earl Burke expects up to 500,000 people to gather in downtown Columbus to watch the show, which begins promptly at 10 p.m. “We are going to rock your socks off,” Burke said. With so many people expected to be downtown, Burke said organizers have been working on a robust safety plan with the Columbus Division of Police, Columbus Fire and even Homeland Security. Police Sgt. Joe Albert said it is an all hands on deck situation for officers. “You’ll see officers out on foot, out on bikes, we will have officers on horses, in the sky and even on boats,” Sgt. Albert said. Ohio State Highway Patrol will take over for Columbus police on the highways, so those officers can help out downtown. Stopping on the highway to watch the fireworks is prohibited. Officers will be keeping an eye out for suspicious behavior, packages and large groups of people that could be looking to cause some trouble. Police are asking parents to know where their teens are, who they are going with and what they are bringing with them. “We can promise you if you are a teenager hanging out in a large group that you are making some disturbances, we will see you, you will have a lot of officers come and interact with you and mitigate making bad decisions,” Sgt. Albert said. Columbus police will also be monitoring downtown cameras in real time. Police have also been posting images of wanted felons online, as part of “Operation Turn up the Heat” in an effort to get dangerous people off the street before the fireworks event. “We are looking for the most violent wanted felons within our city limits we are looking to arrest them. It is an extra thing to ensure peoples’ safety. We don’t want those individuals going downtown. Our goal is to get them off the streets before those events take place,” Sgt. Albert said. Police say to leave weapons at home. Flying drones is also prohibited. With such a large event, they are asking for the community’s help in ensuring it stays safe. “For everybody’s safety, if you see something, say something,” Sgt. Albert said.