Fun
FAQs & Helpful Hints
It's
All Fun & Games
'Til
Someone Burns the Theatre Down
Customers often contact us seeking more information about using
our products as safely as possible. I personally think that this
is a great thing, and a sign that the majority of our customers
are as thoughtful as they are creative. While we in the customer
service department are always happy to answer any questions about
the use of our products, there are other resources available. One
of the best is published by the National Fire Protection Association.
NFPA 1126 - Standard for the Use of Pyrotechnics before a Proximate
Audience, establishes standards for anyone using indoor pyrotechnics
for a performance.
In the authors' own words, NFPA 1126 was written to "provide
requirements for the reasonable protection of pyrotechnic operators
and audiences... provide guidelines to the authority having jurisdiction
for the approval of the use of pyrotechnics... and to provide requirements
for local permits." In other words, this is the standard that
your local fire marshal probably refers to when deciding whether
or not you'll be allowed to use pyrotechnics in your show. Now,
consider the following hypothetical situation you are enrolled in
a class and the final exam is coming up; your grade for the class
depends upon how well you do on the final and the professor offers
you the chance to look over the questions that will be presented
on that test. Would anybody knowing the importance of that exam
pass up the chance to see what would be expected of them come test
day? When you are preparing to use pyrotechnics in your show you
are in the same situation, although too many people never even know
the test is coming!
Please don't misunderstand me, this standard would be a valuable
resource even if there were no such thing as a fire marshal. It
provides definitions for many of the products used in the manufacture
and performance of pyrotechnic effects allowing you to talk to manufacturers,
performers and fire safety officials knowledgeably. The standards
for performance, storage and transportation of effects are not just
government guidelines, but good rules to follow any time to ensure
maximum safety. Of particular interest are the standard minimum
distances established for various effects such as flash pots, airbursts
and glitter mines. These sections can be useful when dealing with
a stubborn director who insists on placing a flash pot two feet
down stage of an actor.
While NFPA 1126 is not the most thrilling read in the English language
-- it is a government standard, after all! -- it does provide the
information needed to put on a safe display. This booklet, together
with our own Special Effects with Fire and Smoke book, make up a
crash course in pyrotechnics from manufacture to performance. For
those of you who have yet to read it, Special Effects gives a history
of various pyrotechnic devices and an explanation of how they work,
and what effects they can be used to create. It's a sort of springboard
for designers who know that they need a special effect, but are
not sure where to begin. Once the effect has been chosen, the designer
can then refer to the standard for guidelines on setting up, firing
and tearing down the devices used in the effect. Finally, when it
comes time for the fire marshal to inspect the production, the designer
can refer to the standard ahead of time to know what information
he will need to provide, and what questions he might possibly have
to answer.
Having these books in your possession does not mean that you will
automatically produce a safe effect that is approved by the fire
marshal. Just as the student who is allowed to see the final exam
ahead of time must still go home and study for the test, the designer
who reads these books must still invest the time, money and common
sense to get the best, safest effect for his show. You'll have to
earn the grade on your particular "final" but at least
you'll have an easier time studying.
(P.S. From webmaster. Another useful document is our Pyro Regulations
Information Bulletin, which can be viewed at the following location
on our website -
http//www.theatrefx.com/products/pyroregs.pdf
)
*********************************************
Theatre Effects Customer Service Department
service@theatrefx.com
www.theatrefx.com
Theatre Effects, 642 Frederick St., Hagerstown, MD 21740
Phone: 1-800-791-7646 or 301-791-7646 Fax: 301-791-7719 *********************************************
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