FORT PIERRE - Five Pierre firefighters learned the proper way to blow stuff up during the weekend at State Fire School, and community residents probably heard the results.
One of the courses offered on both Friday and Saturday was a half lecture, half hands-on instructional class put on by Premier Pyrotechnics, Inc., which taught firefighters about the proper procedures dealing with commercial fireworks.
Firefighters were also taught
and shown what would be improper handling and lighting methods, and a variety of ways fireworks and explosives can be homemade.
The morning session of the course was held in a classroom at Parkview Elementary School, where students saw photos and videos of what can happen if explosives, such as fireworks, are handled incorrectly. Though at times gruesome, the men in the class said the information was both useful and interesting.
They were also taught about the composition of the fireworks themselves, purchasing and igniting laws, storage requirements, insurance and scripting for a fireworks show during the classroom part of the course.
In the afternoon, the class went to the Stanley County Fairgrounds with instructor Jeff Koster, who works for Premier Pyrotechnics and is trained in the field.
Koster showed firefighters the fireworks and the stands Premier Pyrotechnics uses to hold the explosives while they are set off. Each person in the class ignited one of the fireworks.
Then Koster displayed how different types of fuses burn by lighting off some small explosives made from a combination of accelerants.
Electronic firing methods were also taught.
The main purpose of the class, according to Koster was to ensure safety procedures are known and followed by firefighters when their departments put on fireworks displays.
Rick Cronin, assistant Fort Pierre fire chief said Premier Pyrotechnics is the company the department purchases its fireworks from for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display and many departments statewide put on fireworks shows during the Fourth of July holiday and other times throughout the year.
