Distress flares & guns research – please help

Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote e.m.p! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Distress flares & guns research – please help
    Posted: 27 Jul 2021 at 12:06pm
e.m.p! View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 30 Dec 2008
Location: Welly
Status: Offline
Points: 1545
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. 






Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kevin.S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2021 at 3:24pm
Kevin.S View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Location: Waiuku
Status: Offline
Points: 6769
I think you may struggle, once flares go out of date they go to coastguard or someone similar for disposal.  They don't get disarmed.  The only people who could help you would be manufacturers supplying "dummy" ones.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote e.m.p! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2021 at 3:47pm
e.m.p! View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 30 Dec 2008
Location: Welly
Status: Offline
Points: 1545
Yes, I know the out of date flares will be disposed of by the NZDF up in Auckland. The distributor of our most used brand RFD was keen to help initially, but unfortunately the communication fizzled out…
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote funandfunction Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2021 at 7:24pm
funandfunction View Drop Down
Gold
Gold


Joined: 24 Oct 2008
Location: North Shore
Status: Offline
Points: 898
Lots of expired flares  that could be collected.
Why can't you design a safe method of firing them ......say into a tank of water for example??
Just as an aside, it's surprising how long flares in sealed containers last.
Many years ago I was on a vessel travelling to Tonga when the skipper went through his flares  ( he'd been in the habit of replacing them but not throwing the old ones out) with a view to firing off all the out of date ones.
Three of us took turns firing them low at the water. I'm sure someone will remind me how illegal all this is but I found it very educational and no harm was done.
I would say at least 80% of the old flares worked and some were well over 10 years out of date.
There are two types of people in the world: those that divide people into two types and those that don't.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2021 at 8:49am
Steps View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 14 Oct 2013
Location: Franklin
Status: Offline
Points: 12849
Maybe chat to Maraetai boat club and Maraetai Coast Guard.
  They organise an annual flare night at the boat club.. letting off members expired flares.

And yes the comments above on expired flares still working is surprising.. and think % well above the 80. Thu being an annual event dont think many would be 10+yrs expired.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote e.m.p! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2021 at 10:55am
e.m.p! View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 30 Dec 2008
Location: Welly
Status: Offline
Points: 1545
Thanks Steps – I appreciate it. Availability of flares is not the biggest problem, but rather letting people/testsubjects have a go with it without the flares jump in their face. So I'd rather a safe and certified testdummy missing the pyrotechnics components.
I tried another overseas manufacturer yday… Last resort would be 3D printing a copy, I guess.
Back to Top
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.425 seconds.

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Top of the South Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Tasman and Golden Bay snapper still running hot We are not far away from daylight... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bay of Islands Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Variety is the spice of life On one recent trip, the plan was to spend a... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Fish where the fish are! Catching fish or just going fishing? I tackle this issue... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Inner Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Thoughtful tactics required for better fish Over the course of each year the fishing varies,... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites