Flamethrower Shooting Gallery

Flamethrower Shooting Gallery Logo

An interactive, fully participatory installation embodying the spirit of American freedom, spectacle, and friendly competition.

Version and Date

This is a DRAFT VERSION of the Flamethrower Shooting Gallery project plan

$Revision: 1.26 $

Last Changed $Date: 2008/10/12 01:45:21 $

It is expected that many further revisions will follow as the plan evolves.

Description

Modeled after "County Fair" style shooting galleries the Flamethrower Shooting Gallery provides a new twist on a long-standing American tradition and pokes gentle fun at the American fascination with firearms and personal power, along with the Burning Man fascination with fire and "radical self expression" by allowing and encouraging participants to literaly play with fire and shoot things.

Where and When

The debut of the Flamethrower Shooting Gallery was in July 2008 at the Fire Arts Festival, and then we took it to the Burning Man festival in August 2008.

The head of fire safety at Burning Man, DaveX told us that he had “Nothing but good reports about how you guys ran it, and I think you were the most dangerous installation on the playa.” The Flamethrower Shooting Gallery was the only installation allowing particpants to control a liquid-fueled horizontal flame-effect. We have a 100% perfect safety record.

The Flamethrowers

The flamethrowers are under development. Project leader has a Flamethrower Permit from the California State Fire Marshall.

The devices uses compressed inert gas (Nitrogen) to pressurize the fuel bottle.

There will be floor of non-combustible, absorbant material to protect the playa surface, and a non-combustible rear wall behind the targets. There may also be walls on each side.

Targets

The targets are little Man figures - approximtely 2 feet tall, made of steel bars, with stainless steel wool to absorb and hold the burning liquid fuel.

Background Music

Background music will of course be Patriotic.

Here is PARTIAL list of the songs from the soundtrack - this list is missing songs from artists who are not on iTunes (for example, the Doors)

The Range

The Flamethrower Shooting Gallery is a semi-enclosed structure built of non-combustable materials (e.g. steel studs, sheet metal, etc.)

The range is about 20-25' deep. Effective range of the flamethrowers is about 15-20'. Distance will be close enough to enable accurate fire direction without making it too easy.

Flamethrowers will be chained, muzzle and butt, to firing bench in order to limit the field of fire. Attractive competitors may also be chained, muzzle and butt, to firing bench for further activities. (See Range Commands Rule)

The range floor protects the Playa from any contact with flammable materials and shall consist of a 3" thick layer of decomposed granite.

The range backstop is a metal-stud and sheet metal wall 10 feet high and approximately 35 feet wide.

Course of Fire

Participants start outside the range gate, wearing eye protection and flame-resistant gloves.

  1. Do we have 4 Range Safety Officers?
  2. Do we have 4 shooters wearing goggles and gloves?
  3. Have the shooters read, and do they understand the Range Rules?
  4. Send the shooters in!
  5. Range Safety Officers will hold the shooters at the sfaety line and explain the course of fire to the shooters.
  6. Range Safety Officers escort shooters to the firing line.
  7. Range Safety Officers show the shooters how to pick up the flamethrower, how to point it at their target, how to presurize the flamethrower, and how to operate the trigger.
  8. Range Safety Officers explain to the shooters that if they see fire or anything else emiting from anywhere except the nozzle of the flamethrower that they are to STOP, PUT DOWN THE FLAMETHROWER AND STEP BEHIND THE SAFETY LINE.
  9. Range Safety Officers send shooters back behind the safety line.
  10. Two Range Safety Officers check behind the backstop if needed.
  11. Range Safety Officers light the pilot lights and turn off the safeties on each flamethrower.
  12. Range Master announces that the range is HOT.
  13. Range Safety Officers bring their shooters to the firing line.
  14. Shooters pick up their flamethrowers.
  15. Shooters point their flamethrowers at their targets.
  16. Shooters pressurize their flamethrowers.
  17. Range Safety Officers raise their hands as their shooters’ flamethrowers reach the correct pressure (40 psi)
  18. Range Master announces that the Line is Pressurized!
  19. Range Master commands "Make Ready to Commence Firing!"
  20. Range Master commands "Commence Firing!"
  21. As each shooter finishes their Range Safety Officer commands "You are done. Put down the flamethrower and step behind the safety line."
  22. Range Safety Officers turn off pilot light valves.
  23. Range crew unload flamethrowers leaving them in a "show clear" condition.

Range Rules:

These the Range rules, prominently posted at the range, and all shooters must read and understand these rules before being allowed into the range.
  1. OBEY ALL RANGE SAFETY OFFICER’s ORDERS
  2. YOU MUST NOT BE DRUNK OR STUPID
  3. WE DECIDE THE MEANING OF DRUNK OR STUPID
  4. NO LOOSE LONG HAIR
  5. ALL BAGGAGE STAYS AT THE GATE
  6. NO CLOTHING THAT COULD MELT
  7. NO SMOKING UNLESS YOU ARE ON FIRE
  8. IN CASE OF DISPUTE SEE RULE NO. 1

Rules for Flamethrower Safety

  1. Never point a Flamethrower at anything you are not willing to destroy.
  2. A Flamethrower is always loaded, unless personally verified by you.
  3. Always be aware of your target, and what is behind it.
  4. Never place your finger inside the trigger guard unless actually engaging a target.
  5. All commands by the Range Safety Office must be obeyed at once.
  6. Muzzle must always point downrange.
  7. Muzzle must always point below top of backstop.
  8. Eye protection and flame-resistant gloves are required forward of the red safety line.
  9. No smoking or open flames forward of the red safety line.