Hi Jerome,

I've tried sending you an email but it gets returned to me. Add my email in your contacts list (or whatever Hotmail uses). BTW, it's ok if you don't know. I greatly appreciate your help. I'm just curious how a firm displaces themselves from show to show. I always thought they behave as a family. I may be wrong .

Dan
danpollutro@videotron.ca

ah ok your try jgem2@hotmail.com ? because jgem4@hotmail.com is false.

jerome

Hello Dan,

I'm very happy to hear that you want to acquire your license in pyrotechnics. I was considering it for a time, but I'm far too inexperienced and lack many requirements, for sure. To be honest with you, I was actually thinking and imagining you as a pyrotechnician before hand since last year for some odd reason. Perhaps it was either because you were a judge and that probably acted as a catalyst in boosting your interest. Also, I'm more than certain that Jerome can explain many things to you as he does have the experience. Finally, I, too, didn't know that the demand for pyros was at such a high rate.

Anyhow, I think that's very good for you. I think you'll do fine in this field, that is, if you should ever decide to persuade into it at great depth. However, I see that you are going on vacation, but the problem is that you're going to miss Panzera and some other shows prior to that. I guess there's no way to circumvent around it, but it's no big deal. If nothing changes, we'll be sure to all give extensive reports for you to read!

As for university, well, oh boy, March is going to be busy for both of us. I've got term papers due all over the place, not to mention my exam schedule is already popping up.

Regards,

Trav.

Hi Trav.

Thanks for reminding me to check my exam schedule. It's terrible . I have two programming finals both back too back at night . Well, at least I'll finish with a bang . Talk about a intense finale... Anyways, it seems it is very hard even for La Ronde to hire pyros. Yesterday, I spoke with the team at La Ronde and Paul (Master pyro, great guy btw) said that the turnover is very low. He said that to get a job as a pyro for the festival, you must have a very good background and be recommended by follow pyros. He suggested for me to start small by working with BEM, Ampleman (which is actually located close to my house), Royal (a bit to far), and Concept Flatiux. He said that it should be pretty easy to get hired for ST. Jean Bat. and for Canada Day (I wonder why ). Anyways, all new pyros must start from scratch, I guess. BTW Jerome, do you work only in the summer? You have my blessings if you also work in the winter . Take care.

Dan

hey nice done dan !
yes i just work in the summer for the moment but in less 2 year i work for all season !

jerome

Hey Dan,

I just checked my schedule and it looks reasonable but is rather abysmal as I do have exams back to back for the latter half. My last exam is on May 2nd.

Anyways, it sounds like there's quite a bit of requirements to become a pyro. However, have you ever worked with or handled fireworks before, Dan? (besides the time when you were a judge.)

Trav.

Hi Trav,

Well, each year I buy fireworks to celebrate Canada Day and St Jean Bap but I've never handled (well, fired) professional pieces before. As a matter of fact, I still have some fireworks in my room (relax, they're in a white box clearly marked with an explosives logo on it ). I have some fontains, roman candles, titanium salutes (calme down guys, it's the small ones ) a cake that fires 20 flowers (sorry, Chrysanthemum effect according to Mystical fireworks), and some mortar that should blast out a comet followed by 32 firecrackers, and best of all hummeroos (ahh God bless them). So all in all, yes I did handle fireworks.

Also, I spoke with Eric Cardinale (designer for Ampleman) and he's willing to put me on the list for canada day and st. Jean. I'm only missing my licence! Anyways, can't wait for summer this year!!!

Dan

Hey Jérome, Essaie de ne pas mettre tes allumettes directement dans le cul ( la chasse ) de ta bombe!! C'est dangereux lors du déminage ou même quand tu la mets dans le mortier!!! Si ta bombe est au fond du mortier au déminage et qu'elle n'est pas partit, et si tu tire sur ton allumettes pour pouvoir la déminé et que le squib sort dela chasse et vient se coinçé entre le mortier et la bombe.... bien çà marche pas fort.
Fait juste attention à ta gueule devant le mortier puis mets de la mèches entre la bombe et ton squib ( allumettes ). Anyway, à ta place, je ne parlerais pas trop de tes expériences si veux avoir ou conserver ton certificat de pyro ou d'artificier. On ne veut pas que des expériences tournent mal pour des individus et qu'après la DRE augmente les normes de sécurité et les lois pour la manipulation et la possession d'explosifs.

Salut

Take care

BenHur

oui c'est sûr que c'est pas prudent de poser une allumette dans le cul de la chasse.j'aurait juste a changer la méthode

jerome

Hi Dan,

It would be reasonable to interpret that you're quite equipted! I was actually somewhat concerned about all that you have in terms of danger, but I did "calm down" after your specifications! But still, be very careful! At the same time, you do have quite a bit of experience, if we look at your exposure to pyrotechic concepts and the mere fact that you've been working with a good portion of non-professional material, which is a really good start.

Nothing pleases me more than to see those smaller local displays on St-Jean Baptiste and Canada Day. I'm hoping we still get those displays this year in my area since it is both convenient and spectacular to watch, not to mention having easy access in being close to the firing site.

Any luck with the license acquisition, Dan? Please keep me informed about it since I do find it interesting that you're so into this field! I'll be more than happy when you get it.

All the best!

Trav.

Hey Trav,

To tell you the truth, I'm really interested in the technology used to fire the shells. After carefully looking at the display setups at La Ronde, I noticed that a look of wire gets used and wasted. Why not just use a wireless firing system? By sending the signal remotely, the pyrotechnicians would save miles of wire. The only wire needed would be ONE electrical wire to supply the electrical charge. One of the firing systems (FireOne) uses regular RJ45 wiring (same as ethernet cable). Based on the success of WIFI (wireless internet), the connection could be very easily modifed to connect modules instead of computers. Anyways, just my 2 cents . The only problem could be signal loss during rain. However, that's rare (I have a wireless network at home). Also, by having less wires to connect, the roman candles and fountains could be sent to Montreal pre-assembled. The same is not entirely true for large shells since it gets a little dangerous. Less wires = more space = less setup time = less workers = money saved = more fireworks = less wires ... . Tell me if it makes since Paul . BTW Trav, still didn't get my licence. BTW, this would be a part time job. I'm planning to work at Ubisoft or EA as a video game programmer (engine coding).

Dan

BTW, I forgot to mention that with a wireless firing system, NO MORE SEVERED WIRES! That means no more ruined finales or sequences due to corrupted data. Anyways, I think it's important.

Dan

Hi Dan,

I see what you're saying and what you want to do. It seems really fascinating that you want to do this sort of thing. But I wanted to emphasize your thought about the excessive use of wires. It's a true fact that a wireless firing system would present greater convenience than having all those wires around. It's also true that you'd have a greater capacity for set up purposes, which is a good thing. And, like you clearly said, there's also a higher risk where something could go wrong, such as wire damage in a sector(s).

It's obvious that these things will help improve both time management and the quality of the shows. However, I think that wireless firing systems could also pose a problem, particularly in potential transmission failures. However, it is clear that the advantages that the wireless features possesses advantages that easily surpass it's disadvantages as well as that of the wired system.

This is a very insightful idea you propose, Dan. To be honest, I'm surprised this hasn't been implemented yet considering technological advances. I'm sure, however, that there must be a reason, but I don't see why it isn't being done considering that it especially saves excess labour. Keep in mind that weather is another problem, which probably contributes to the greatest threat to exposed wires, but moreso the set up time. This is what happened to Sweden and Australia last year when they were setting up. And that got me thinking, especially when Sweden's finale was supposed to be much bigger!

Video game programmer? Well, I still love video games with a passion, my friend. That's a very popular thing to do!

Regards,

Trav.

Wow, just noticed that I had lots of spelling errors. BTW Trav, the reason why companies don't want to use wireless firing systems is because each node (firing module) needs a router (well, more like signal receiving module). Considering each node costs $100 (based on the prices of routers) and the amounts of nodes needed, the advantages go straight to the garbage. Considering a spool of wire costs the price of one module, the costs kill the advantages. However, once the modules are purchased, La Ronde can give them to EVERY company and would level the playing field. I'm sure when the time comes, the shift will be made. Just not yet, unfortunately. We still live in a very money driven world .

Dan

Hi Dan,

I still wish there was a way to circumvent around excessive wire use. It's just there's so much potential without them. But, as you said, the truth remains, particularly when we factor in actual costs. Those are valid reasons, I suppose. I didn't know routers were so expensive, too. In any case, I hope there will be another way "in future" for which the nodes don't have to be dependent on routers.

Trav.