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Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous devices are rendered safe.
Hollywood and the media has done much to confuse the subject of bomb disposal. In fact, due to the need for secrecy, many have developed strange notions about this field.
Disposaleers
Bomb disposal got its start after World War I. Due to manufacturing processes, many of the dropped bombs in Europe did not function as designed, posing grave issues. The British, realizing this, dedicated a section of Royal Engineers to handle the growing problem. The first bomb technicians had to be a crafty lot, as there were no specialized tools, training, or core knowledge available. As technicians learned how to safely neutralize one type of bomb, formerly called a munition, the enemy would add parts to make neutralization efforts more hazardous. As this trend of cat-and-mouse extends even to today, bomb technicians have, out of necessity, made their specific methods a trade secret.
Post-war efforts
Seeing the successes of the Royal Engineer bomb disposal units, other countries followed suit by sending troops to receive training from the British.
Currently in the United States, there are three types of Bomb Technician: the EOD Technician, the PSBT Technician, and the UXO Technician.
EOD
Bomb technicians in the US military are called EOD technicians, for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (ordnance is another term for munitions). In addition to manufactured munitions, EOD technicians also resolve improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and car bombs (vehicle-borne IEDs). They are experts in chemical, biological, incendiary, radiological ("dirty bombs"), nuclear, and conventional explosive munitions. They provide support to VIPs, help civilian authorities with bomb problems, teach troops about bomb safety, and a variety of other tasks.
EOD technicians in the US previously attended school in Indian Head, Maryland, but currently all prospective EOD technicians attend a grueling course of instruction at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This school has a high failure rate because of the very high standards necessary.
Sometimes, people confuse engineers or sappers with EOD technicians. While engineers and sappers do on occasion deal with explosive devices, their roles are limited normally to improving the mobility of troops. They are not bomb technicians.
PSBT
EOD technicians do not normally handle off-base bomb calls, unless a military shipment is involved. This is the realm of the PSBT, or Public Safety Bomb Technician. Also called a Hazardous Devices Technician, PSBTs are usually members of a police department, although there are teams formed by fire departments or emergency management agencies.
Many PSBTs attend one of two civilian bomb schools in the US, the FBI's Hazardous Devices School at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, or the ATFE's school at Fort AP Hill, Virginia. These schools help them to become experts in the detection, diagnosis, and disposal of hazardous devices. They are further trained to collect evidence in hazardous devices, and present expert witness testimony in court on bombing cases. There are not many Hazardous Devices Units (formerly called bomb squads) in the US. Many are not staffed full-time. In other words, the technicians who staff these teams are normally patrolmen or detectives when they are not responding to bomb calls or training.
UXO
In the quest to build the best, safest munition systems possible, and then train troops to safely utilize them, many acres of government land are currently restricted for bombing ranges. As time goes along, it becomes the best interest of the government to turn these lands back over to the public for reutilization. Before this can occur, specialists in Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) must be brought in to clear the lands of ordnance and explosive waste. These civilians, usually retired military EOD technicians, use specialized tools for subsurface examination of the lands. When munitions are found, they safely neutralize them and remove them from the site.
While most UXO technicians are former military, there is a school civilians can attend to become certified as a Tech I conducted by Texas A&M.
Techniques
Many techniques exist for the neutralization of a bomb or munition. Selection of a technique depends on several variables. The greatest variable is the proximity of the munition or device to people or critical facilities. Items in the middle of nowhere are handled much differently than are ones in dense population areas.
Contrary to Hollywood lore, the role of the bomb technician is to accomplish his task as remotely as possible. Actually laying hands on a bomb is only done in an extremely life-threatening situation, where the hazards to people and critical structures can't be lessened.
Bomb technicians have many tools for remote operations, the greatest of which is the RCV, or remote control vehicle. Outfitted with cameras, microphones, and sensors for chemical, biological, or nuclear agents, the RCV can help the bomb technician get an excellent idea of what the munition or device is. Many of these robots even have hand-like manipulators in case a door needs to be opened, or a munition or bomb requires handling or moving.
Also of great use are items that allow a bomb technician to remotely diagnose the innards of a munition or IED. These include devices similar to the X-ray used by medical personnel, and high-performance sensors that can reveal sounds, odors, or even images from within the munition or bomb.
Once the technicians determine exactly what the munition or device is, and what state it currently is in, they will formulate a procedure to render it safe. This may include things as simple as replacing safety features, or as difficult as using high-powered explosive-actuated devices to shear, jam, bind, or remove parts of the items' firing train.
Preferably, this will be accomplished remotely, but there are still circumstances when a robot just won't do, and a technician must put himself at grave risk by personally handling the bomb. The technician will many times don a specialized protective suit, consisting of flame and fragment-resistant material similar to bulletproof vests. Some suits have advanced features such as internal cooling, amplified hearing, and communications back to the control area. This suit is designed to increase the odds of survival for the technician should the munition or IED function while they are near it.
Rarely, the specifics of a munition or bomb allow the technician to remove it from the area. In these cases, a containment vessel is used. Some are shaped like small water tanks, others like large spheres. Using remote methods, the technician places the item in the container and retires to a uninhabited area to complete the neutralization. Because of the instablity and complexity of modern bombs, this is rarely done.
After the munition or bomb has been rendered safe, the technicians will assist in the removal of the item so the area can be returned to normal.
All of this, called a mission or evolution, can take a great deal of time. Because of the construction of devices, a wait time must be taken to ensure that whatever render-safe method was used worked as intended. While time is usually not on the bomb technician's side, rushing usually ends in disaster.
What else do bomb technicians do?
In addition to neutralizing munitions or IED's, conducting training, and presenting evidence, techncians also respond to other problems. Technicians dispose of old or unstable explosives, such as ones used in quarrying or mining. They also remove and dispose of old or unstable fireworks and ammunition.
The meaning of the United States EOD badge
US military EOD technicians wear a specialized badge of honor upon successful completion of school. Civilian PSBTs have a similar badge. The components of the badge each have a special meaning:
- The Wreath: Symbolic of the achievements and laurels gained in minimizing incidents through the ingenuity and devotion to duty of its members. It is in memory of those EOD members who gave their lives while performing EOD duties.
- The Bomb: Copied from the design of the World War II Bomb Disposal badge, represents the historic and major objective of the EOD mission, the unexploded bomb. The three fins represent the major areas of nuclear, conventional and chemical/biological interest.
- Lightning Bolts: Symbolizes the potential destructive power of the bomb and the courage and professionalism of EOD personnel.
- The Shield: Represents the EOD mission -- to prevent a detonation and protect the surrounding area and property to the utmost.
"Initial success or total failure"
This is a common motto of Bomb Technicians. If the explosive device is not handled effectively on the first attempt, many times the result is total failure. Consequences are the possible injury or death of personnel and/or damage or total destruction to equipment.
External links
- Mulvaney on Bomb Disposal (http://www.multicians.org/thvv/mulvaney.html) Cartoons from the World War II newsletter of the US Naval Bomb Disposal School
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