News from
the Club.
Check here often for recent news and upcoming events.
Who we are, what we do and other Club Info.
Upcoming Class Schedules & Info for those doing "Experience" Shows, PGI Certification Application, etc.
Questions about Permits, Bunkers, Transportation & Other Needed Information.
Contacts to our Friends in the Pyro Community, Safety Agencies, Vendors, other Clubs & Organizations
Some of our Shows which we hope you enjoy viewing half as much as we did staging them!
PGI Membership Applications, IPA Membership Application, News, Opinions & More!
"Vital Statistics" of the Stumptown Shooters.
Info on the Opening Show of the 2005 PGI National Convention in Mason City, IA
Behind the scenes, "In your Face", Shoot Shots, who knows what might be in here (someday!)
Who to blame
for all this!
More or Less the development of this site.
Click Links for Upcoming Class Information
ALREADY CERTIFIED?
Click HERE for PGI Certification Renewal Requirements
YES IT'S TRUE!
The Stumptown Shooters Pyrotechnics Club of River Junction Iowa is a group of CRAZED pyrotechnic fanatics......
HOWEVER...
We learned early on that there is no such thing as being too careful. Fireworks are beautiful and wondrous things which bring joy and happiness into millions of peoples lives each year. Unfortunately, they are also extremely dangerous and can bring death and destruction as well as joy and happiness.
Thankfully, due in part to courses such as PGI Certification, the Injury rate from Pyro has dropped dramatically in the past decade but the average death rate per year has remained at around 6 people in the US which is in our humble opinions, still way too high.
Our goal is to teach shooters of all ages and experience levels how to safely practice the art of pyrotechnics and reduce this number.
We are proud and honored to have been a part of the building of the PGI Display Operator Training Program (more commonly known as the "PGI Certification course"). 16 of our Members are now Certified PGI Course Instructors and we are constantly working to spread this valuable and potentially life and limb saving knowledge to all.
In order to qualify for PGI Certification, you must be 18 to 20 years of age (to be a helper on a show). You must be 21 years of age to be a PGI Certified "Lead Operator" on a show. You must complete the PGI (ONE DAY long) Certification Class and Pass a 75 Question Test with a score of 80% or better.
You must attend the "Common Failures" demonstration given on the day of the class AND you must complete a minimum of 5 "Experience Shoots". Four of these five shoots you can assist with and you must be "Lead Operator" on at least ONE show.
We work closely with Pyro Vendors, AHJs (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) such as Fire Departments, Fire Marshals in both State and Local Governments and of course with the PGI and other Fireworks Industry Related groups to make the PGI Shooter Certification Safety Course the best it can possibly be.
The PGI "Display Operator's Handbook" (a copy of which you will get in class and is yours to keep) is packed with more than 300 pages of some of the most definitive and up-to-date information on everything from show concept and planning, permit gathering, show setup and execution and show follow-up.
Two of our members were contributors on one or more of it's 18 chapters and 6 Appendix Sections. We have worked extensively on our Power Point presentation for the class and are constantly updating it as new information becomes available to provide our "Grads" with the information they need to help them stay safe and keep all parts of the body attached.
We believe this to be a "Good Thing".
Stay Green
OUR PGI CERTIFICATION CLASS SCHEDULE IS BELOW
!!!!! OUR FIRST CLASS FOR 2008 HAS BEEN SCHEDULED !!!!!
Click here to Pre-register for this April 5th CLASS
April 5th, 2008
!!!!! PGI D.O.C Class in Norwalk, IA !!!!!
We will be giving the PGI Display Operator Certification Class in Norwalk, Iowa at the ROLLING HILLS GOLF COURSE on Saturday April 5th 2008.
This class will be for both first timers and for those who need to be re-certified this year.
It will be held in the Conference Room at the Rolling Hills Golf Course in Norwalk, Iowa.
Follow these links for more information:
and
Norwalk Class Information/Registration Form
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUESTED:
Please contact mwoodburn@w-se.com with registrant info.
Overview Map of Norwalk, Iowa
REGISTER FOR THIS CLASS HERE
Please let us know if you plan to attend this Class!
Click here to email us with Questions about this Class
or:
Click here to Pre-register for this April 26th CLASS
April 26th, 2008
!!!!! PGI D.O.C Class in Hills, IA !!!!!
We will be giving the PGI Display Operator Certification Class in Hills, Iowa at the HILLS FIRE DEPARTMENT on Saturday April 26th 2008.
This class will be for both first timers and for those who need to be re-certified this year.
It will be held in the Hills Fire Department Conference Room at the Fire Station in Hills, Iowa. Directions and maps may be found below the itinerary and class information.
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUESTED:
Please contact mwoodburn@w-se.com with registrant info.
Overview Map of Hills, Iowa
Please let us know if you plan to attend this Class!
Click here to email us with Questions about this Class
or:
Click here to Pre-Register for this PGI CERTIFICATION CLASS
or:
Click here for General Registration Information
THIS ITINERARY IS TYPICAL BUT NO GUARANTEES ARE MADE EXCEPT THAT WE WILL TRY TO FOLLOW IT AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE :-)
Itinerary: (NOTE: All times are approximate but we usually follow this format fairly closely)
7:30 am to 8:30 am - Class Registration
8:30 am to 10 am - Introduction and Classroom Instruction
10 am to 10:15 am - Mid-Morning Break
10:15 am to Noon (Approx.) - Classroom Instruction
Break for Lunch
After Lunch to 3:30 pm - Classroom Instruction/Testing & Grading
3:30 to 5-ish pm - "Common Failures" & Hands-On Firing
Class Description:
The course is offered by the PGII and is recognized in many states as a "must-have". It is based upon NFPA codes 1123, 1124 & 1126.
These codes cover Storage and Transportation, Material Handling and Equipment.
We cover the need-to-know items contained in those codes which pertain to Display site selection and setup, minimum safe distances, special circumstances, crowd control, mortar setup, types & dozens of other aspects of display fireworks from site selection to cleanup and disposal. All with an emphasis on maintaining a high degree of safety for the Public, Property and of course, the Shooters.
The PGI Display Operator Handbook is used throughout the course (you will keep your copy of the 300+ page handbook). The course actually covers about 1/3 of the handbook. The remainder of the handbook is an invaluable reference guide which we highly encourage you to use to help you in your pyro career.
The outdoor portion of the course is required for you to attend. It begins with a "common failures" demonstration of specially prepared shells which malfunction in specific ways. The class attendees are challenged to identify each of these failures as we set them off one by one.
These are failures which WILL occur at one time or another on your shoot sites. They include: DUD Shell, Return Trip, Low Break, In-Tube Deflagration, Hang-fire, Mis-Fire and others.
Attendees will be shown proper Hand-Fire Technique and will be allowed to Hand-fire under supervision.
Upon completing the Classroom and Outdoor Portions of the course, you will need to verify 4 - (1.3G) Experience Shoots where you are part of the crew and a 5th Shoot where you are the Lead or Co-Lead Shooter in order to complete the Certification process. Once the required experience shoots are documented (a sheet is furnished with the Handbook), you send the documentation to the PGII and will receive your card.
Note: Previous Shoot experience DOES COUNT towards your Experience Shoot total as long as the show was a LEGAL, PERMITTED SHOW which can be documented.
-- IMPORTANT! --
YOU MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE OUTDOOR PORTION OF THE CLASS WHICH INVOLVES HAND-FIRING SHELLS IN ORDER TO PASS THE COURSE
PER NFPA 1123 CODE - IN ORDER TO HAND-FIRE, YOU MUST BE DRESSED PROPERLY!
IF YOU HAVE "PPE" (PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT) PLAN TO BRING IT.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PPE, WE WILL HAVE TURNOUT COATS & HARDHATS AVAILABLE.
PLEASE BRING EYE & HEARING PROTECTION. LONG-SLEEVE SHIRTS & LONG PANTS
- BOTH MADE OF NATURAL FIBER MATERIALS SUCH AS COTTON OR WOOL ONLY!
FOR THIS CLASS, STEEL-TOE SHOES OR BOOTS ARE RECOMMENDED.
NO OPEN-TOED SHOES, "FLIP-FLOPS" OR SANDALS WILL BE ALLOWED.
PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE FOR OTHER 2008 CLASS SCHEDULE(S) WHICH WILL BE POSTED AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
Norwalk, Iowa Area View Map
Norwalk, Iowa Street Level Map
To register using the downloaded form -
(1: Click on the "Click here to Pre-register for this PGI CERTIFICATION CLASS"
link associated with the class you wish to sign up for.
(2: Choose "OPEN" when the download dialogue box asks you to "Open or Save".
(3: The Form will download to your computer and open in your Word Processor
(the form was designed to be compatible with Microsoft "Word").
(4: Fill in ALL Fields and SAVE A COPY ON YOUR COMPUTER!
(5: Email the completed form to: mwoodburn@w-se.com
NOTE : YOU WILL BE SENT CONFIRMATION
- If No Confirmation is received in 3 days, please email the form again.
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