Page 31 - BRAVO3_ISSUE1_MAY_JUN_2018

Fireworksfascinatemostpeopleandhavetheabilitytogenerategreatpassions,bethem negativeor positiveregardingthisage-oldcraftoflightingupthenightsky.Theuseoflightandnoisetoamazeand entertainhasexistedforthousandsofyears,indeedtheChineseusedsticksofgreenbamboothrownonto campfirestoexplodeandwardofevilspirits,theaccountofMarcoPoloofCathayin1295talksofsuch items“burnwithsuchadreadfulnoisethatitcanbeheardtenmilesatnight”and“anyonewhowasnotused toitcouldeasilygointoaswoonorevendie.”ThecreationofgunpowderusingtheingredientsofWood
SulphurandSaltpetre,processedindefinedproportionsnotonlyspeledtheoriginsofmodern warfarewithfirearms,bombsandrocketsbutalsotheabilitytousesuchexplosivematerialsforharmless entertainment.
Butwhatisdefininglinebetweensuchuses? Whenisafireworkaweapon? Howdowemanagethose whotakegreatprideandskilinthecarefulmanufactureofpyrotechnicsandfireworkstorecordandshare theresultswithothersinalargeworldwidecommunity? Cansuchahobbybejustifiedinthenewworldwe a l l liv e in o r w o u ld th e a b o lis h m e n t o f a m a te u r p y ro te c h n ic s b e a v ic to ry fo r th e c rim in a l a n d te r ro ris ts ? A n y trawlthroughthevideosharingwebsiteswilrevealtheresultsofwhatwouldbeclassedlegitimateandilegal useoffireworksbothcommercialandhomemade. Theinternetnotonlyprovidestheopportunitytoshare
C
C
h
h
h
he
a
ar
rc
co
oa
a
l
l,
,
eresults,butalsothemotivationandmethodologytocreateexplosiveefectsandinmanycountries,it providesaroutetopurchasethecomponentchemicalsandmaterials.Suchwasthescaleofilegalusein Liverpool,UKthataspecialistteam wascreatedbetweenPolice,FireandEODteamstoinvestigateand combatsuchbehaviour,from itsinceptiontheteam dealtwithhundredsofincidentsofilegalsale,useand manufactureoffireworks.Incidentsrangingfrom the‘traditional’fireworksthroughleterboxestotheuseof largefireworkstocreateveryefectivecarbombs.Themulti-agencyteam hadhighlevelsofsuccessin
t
t
gsuchcriminalactivitiesandprotectingourlocalcommunities,witharangeofresponsesfrom ‘the friendlywordintheear’toafulscalejointinvestigation,theteam developedmanytoolsandassetstotackle theproblem. Seizinghundredsoftonsofilegalfireworksanddealingwiththeofenderssaw incidents reducedbyover80% inthefolowingyears.
Itwasrealisedthatfirstrespondersrequiredenhancedtrainingtobothidentifycriminalbehaviourand protectthemselvesfrom theincreasingthreats,anawarenessofthepowerofexplosivesbeingthemost importantaspecttoeducateriskperceptionanddissuadethe‘itsjustafirework’mentality.However,the mosttechnicalydificultandperplexingincidentsinvolvetheamateurpyrotechnician,thepersonwhomakes explosiveefectsasahobbyandisonlydiferentiatedfrom criminalandperhapsteroristactivitybyasingle word-‘intent’.
Throughoutmycareerindealingwithfireworkrelatedincidents,theamateurfireworksmakershave presentedthemosttaxingofincidents.Beitthroughdirectoperationsoradvicebeingsoughtoverthephone byaconcernedcoleaguechalengessuchastheincident,riskstothecommunityandcomplexitiesof legislationcanbeadificultbalancingacttomanage.Howwouldthenext-doorneighbour,concernedfamily memberorprofessionalcarerbalancewhatcouldbeaharmlesshobbywiththerisksassociated?Thesight
28
r
r
e
e
d
d
u
uc
ci
i
n
ng
WWW.BRAVO-3.COM