How to become a Pyrotechnician
In today’s world that is post Rhode Island the first requirement to being a Pyro-technician is a federal license from B.A.T.F. There can be other legal requirements imposed by any state for operating within the state but the BATF license is one of the Federal requirements. You can find all the Federal requirements in the NFPA. The state can impose greater requirements but the state cannot forgo the federal.
The National Fire Prevention Act is updated every four years. Some states like Florida simply adopt the New NFPA standards into law making them statutory and enforceable by state officials. Even if a state were to be lax enough to allow someone to operate without a BATF license no insurance company in this country would cover them. (By the way insurance is required by the NFPA as well.) Any injury resulting from a pyro effect going awry without the NFPA being satisfied would bring charges from the feds along with great percentage fees for the lawyers all at the unlicensed operator’s expense.
Licensed operators have to use manufactured equipment and manufactured chemical products; no home make stuff. This includes squibs, concussion - flame - and smoke tubes, as well as the chemical components used to make the effect. (two part components prevent the chemicals from “going off” prematurely.) Even with a knowledge of chemistry this provision is federal so there is no homemade stuff it has to be manufactured. The Fire Marshall and insurance company will insist because they have to.
So much for the legal hurdles. Merely having a License doesn’t mean that an insurance firm is going to cover you. Insurance companies are going to want to see several years experience working under a licensed and manifestly safe practitioner. Basically you need to apprentice with someone who is currently active in the field, with a good reputation and safe practices. Not merely someone who hasn’t had an accident yet.
Pyro-technicians live on their reputations and their relationships with Fire-marshals, Insurance companies and the BATF. Without the federal qualifications covered the state conditions alone will not put you in compliance or save you from a negligent verdict with its accompanying fines and charges.
The best bet is to be willing to start at the bottom and get a job working for a professional outfit that has these bona-fides and can help you establish yourself as a safe practitioner, obtain the BATF license and develop a relationship and reputation with an insurance company.
