The Positives And The Negatives Of Pyrotechnics

Pyrotechnic refers to the art of making and using inflammable materials (fireworks) by well-trained experts that is used to produce heat, fire, light, smoke and sound. However, before going into the topic, let us take a brief look at the origin and popularity of fireworks from ancient times to the present. The use of gunpowder in fireworks dates back to the 9th century when it was successfully tested by the Chinese. Since then, fireworks have been commonly used for a multitude of reasons. People use fireworks to celebrate a grand occasion or event. Many countries celebrate their national holidays such as Independence Day, New Year etc with fireworks. So fireworks have been a synonym of celebration for ages. The dazzling sparkles of light and the brilliant sounds of the fireworks is a wonderful way to celebrate grand occasions. Majority of the people believe that pyrotechnics is only associated with fireworks, but that’s not the case; fireworks is just one aspect of pyrotechnics. Professional experts who perform shows with pyrotechnics are called pyrotechnicians. In the US, the qualifying age for a person to join a band as a pyrotechnician is fixed as 18. Nonetheless, certain states have raised the age bar to 21. The laws are very strict and any violation of the age limit is considered to be a criminal case.

Pyrotechnics for Entertainment
Pyrotechnic is widely used in all the fields of entertainment for special effect purposes. It is used in movies, sports, stage shows etc. And, watching live pyrotechnic shows using any of the popular cable TV services like the FiOS TV can be a visual treat for any viewer. In movies, pyrotechnics are used in a variety of the stunt sequences ranging from a simple gunshot to a complex risky explosive scene.

The fireworks used in the movies burst only with controlled effects and are not harmless as far as they are executed under the supervision of a well-trained expert.

Pyrotechnics are extensively used in musical shows as well. However, those kinds of fireworks are specially designed with variable effects. Some fireworks burn with minimal smoke while some get exhausted with the release of large amounts of smoke (usually harmless). Likewise, pyrotechnics are showcased in a majority of sports either before the start of the match or after the match in order to celebrate the victory.

Pyrotechnic accidents
Though pyrotechnics are entertaining to watch, they also have their own risks and disadvantages. As we all know, pyrotechnics are also very dangerous and hazardous in nature, and even the slightest of errors could spell disasters for the pyrotechnician and the people around him. Thus, pyrotechnics calls for a lot of precautionary and safety measures. Nevertheless, accidents are bound to happen in such a risky field and a few forgettable accidents have been recorded in the past. Some have caused injuries while some have resulted in the death of hundreds of innocent people. The main reason for such accidents was due to the poor quality of the products, unexpected events, or the mistake of the operator.

One such accident took place in a nightclub in Rhode Island in 2003. It happened when the members of the Great White band ignited the inflammable foam. The fire from the foam spread rapidly and damaged the place that lead to the death of hundreds of people. The absence of an effective sprinkler system and a poor exit door lead to the severity of the accident. Another unfortunate accident took place in the Republica Cromagnon nightclub in the city of Buenos Aires in Argentina that resulted in the death of 194 people.

Pyrotechnic is widely used in every single show of Wrestling. In 2010, a flaw in the pyrotechnic system engulfed flames to the body of legendary wrestler Undertaker who suffered multiple burns from the accident.

Many such pyrotechnic defects have caused injuries and deaths although a majority of them could have been avoided if the people in charge had adopted the right kind of preventive and safety measures.

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