Many people in the United States like to set off their own fireworks, especially for New Year's Eve and the national Independence Day, July 4th. Some states and local governments permit selling such fireworks, but encourage caution and adult supervision when setting them off. Other states and local communities ban the selling of personally used fireworks. Most American local communities provide safe public fireworks at least for July 4th, and often also for New Year's Eve.
Fireworks for personal use in the US come in various sizes, some as small as firecrackers or sizzlers, and others as large as small rockets which go up with flares several meters in the sky. These fireworks are often highly unsafe, and cause serious burns or accidents if not used carefully. Public fireworks, on the other hand, provide great spectacles high in the sky for many people at once. They are strictly regulated with safety concerns as their most important feature.
Personally, except for small fireworks for personal use under adult supervision, I believe that setting off most fireworks should be conducted only by public officials who can fulfill very strict safety standards.