Bomb Disposal

Bomb disposal refers to the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. The term bomb disposal is all encompassing term that normally refers to explosive devices that are dealt with by the military and the police.

Bomb disposal began during World War I. Due to the increase demand for munitions to be produced there was a high number of products being produced that were defective and as a result they had to disposed of in some way. In 1918 the British dedicated a section of the Ordnance Examiners from the Royal Army to make sure that these hazardous duds were disposed of safely and carefully. However, at the time that people being assigned to the disposal of these materials were not trained and often lacked knowledge about the product and so it became a very dangerous mission for these people. This led to training course for Ammunition Technicians.

The United States War Department felt that the experience of the British Bomb Disposal team would be an asset and then began to sponsor the Bomb Disposal team. Today members of this team are highly trained in how to dispose of a bomb correctly and safely. Military personnel are not the only ones who are now being trained in bomb disposal because this practice has been extended to include police personnel. There are numerous training departments across the world. Many are located throughout the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.

People who have been trained in bomb disposal are considered to be specialists in that area. Getting the proper training is not as easy as it may sound; you must go through extensive training prior to specializing. Training in this area can be dangerous and should not be taken lightly. With the increase in terrorist bombings and threats specialists are needed now more than ever before and have to be trained in disposing of rudimentary as well as specialized bombs and other explosive devices.