Hi there, to cut to the chase: After hearing about multiple injuries due to misuse, I'm looking for any unarmed (disarmed?) flares, in particular parachute and handheld for a research project in order to make recommendations on design and usability. Please have a look if you can find used shells, practice dummies and similar. Even better if you have a disarmed flare gun (I know they're slowly decommissioned) I can borrow for this project?
After contacting overseas manufacturers, distributors, police maritime units, harbour master and volunteer coastguard without any luck, I want to ask the community for any pointers into the right direction.
Please be aware that I'm not planning to re-invent the wheel nor create a better, brighter or longer lasting signal. My research expertise is in how people react in high stress situations and how visual design (as in instructions, colour, handle shape, etc.) can aid in making the right decision in a split second. This is also the reason I'd need all labels and stickers intact if possible.
If you could share your experience, please let me know too and if you want to hear more about, I'd be happy to send you an abstract and more information.
Thanks a bunch, Emp
P.S.: Yes, I do have a set of armed flares, but it's impossible to get them past an ethics committee for user testing, I'm afraid.