10 June 2008
New capability means greater security, and more expertise
The New Zealand Defence Force’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron premises were officially opened at Trentham Camp in May.
The new capability means greater security for New Zealand, and brings together skilled service personnel with expertise in explosives disposal.
Defence Minister Phil Goff opened the headquarters of the new and enhanced bomb disposal squadron. “The prospect of a terrorist attack in New Zealand using chemical, biological or radiological devices is lower than in many other countries. Yet given the serious consequences of such as attack, we cannot afford to be complacent,” Mr Goff said.
“That is why the establishment of this new capability for the 1st New Zealand Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron is in New Zealand’s national interest. This significant financial investment provides a major strengthening of our ability to respond to these types of threats.
“The new capability is operational now and the squadron will build up in size over the next 18 months to more than 72 personnel. Old equipment is being replaced with remote controlled robots, new detection devices and other electronic tools as well as new decontamination equipment and clothing.
The new facility is funded by $22 million in capital and ongoing operating funding approved by the Government in 2005. It is part of this government’s $4 billion 10-year Long Term Development Plan for Defence.
The squadron’s headquarters and training base are in Upper Hutt and three new operational units will be sited close to the CBDs and air and sea ports of the main centres – Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. They will provide much improved response times across the country and greater overall security for New Zealand.
Mr Goff said the squadron was also necessary to guarantee a level of protection around New Zealand’s ability to host internationally significant events such as the Rugby World Cup.
“The EOD Squadron has conducted joint exercises with Police, Fire, Airport Security and Customs. A fully coordinated response across all of government is important,” he said.
“The enhanced capability builds on the New Zealand Defence Force’s expertise and professionalism – for which it has a long history and gained a well earned reputation, both at home and internationally – in the area of explosive ordnance disposal. While the potential risk of chemical, biological or radiological devices creates the most dramatic and frightening scenarios, in fact the greatest probable risk remains in the area of orthodox explosives,” Phil Goff said.
The Explosive Ordnance Squadron’s role is to:
- Provide support to civilian authorities (EOD, commercial disposals).
- Provide Military EOD support - humanitarian work (such as de-mining), peace stability (remnants of war), military operations (battlefield clearance, safety and education).
- Search for, and dispose or render safe, (improvised explosive devices)
- Be the centre of excellence for training, historical and modern developments.
The complexities of bomb disposal
It sounded like it could be one of the best Guy Fawkes displays in the country – 100 tonnes of fireworks going up in smoke in the middle of the North Island.
But there were no elements of display in this burn-off. It was all just part of the job for members of the 1st New Zealand Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron- the bomb squad.
The fireworks, which were all past their use-by date and unable to be sold or used, were taken to an isolated area of Waiouru where they were placed on pallets in a pit, doused with diesel and set alight.
Military ordnance, which is old or unusable, is disposed of similarly. Pits are carefully dug in an isolated area, and the ordnance placed in layers, between which is positioned the initiating explosives. With operators standing about 1000 metres away, the pit is blown up remotely.
Safety is paramount when EOD personnel undertake any disposal task.
“There is a procedure to follow, and a very methodical way of completing the task,” says Chief Ammunition Technical Officer, LTCOL Wayne Boustridge.
The EOD Squadron is relatively new - it celebrated its first birthday a couple of years ago – although in New Zealand the Army has traditionally been one of the official organisations that deals with the disposal of explosives.
The squadron is manned by tri-Service personnel and is responsible for explosive ordnance disposal, which includes improvised explosive devices containing a chemical,biological or radiological, or straight explosive payload - in other words, bombs. It also disposes of unserviceable commercial explosives and ammunitions.
Following the events of September 11, 2001, the New Zealand government recognised the need to be able to respond to a wide range of potential terrorist attacks, hence the establishment of the EOD Squadron. The New Zealand Army has taken the lead in introducing and developing the new capability.
While the biggest risks for the squadron are associated with improvised explosive devices, the disposal of military ordnance must also be undertaken very precisely.
“We are often called to dispose of, for example, ammunition or a grenade brought back from a war and discovered in someone’s shed, or on any number of current or former live firing ranges and New Zealand War battle sites. Military ordnance is designed to kill, and it may have become unstable through age. Operators are trained to recognise the item and effectively and safely dispose of it,” says LTCOL Wayne Boustridge.
But bomb disposal is much more complex.
An improvised bomb can look like anything, and can be made in many ways, and you don’t know immediately what could trigger it. It could be made by kids who have read about it on the Internet and are into experimenting, or by someone with much more sinister motives, such as in the Trades Hall bombing in Wellington in the 1980s.
It often doesn’t matter if a bomb is simple or sophisticated – both can be effective.
When an incident occurs, such as something suspicious is left in a public building, other emergency services - the police, fire brigade and ambulance - are involved. Cordons must be established and buildings evacuated.
EOD operators are dealing with the unknown, and may have to work with it remotely, using a robot. Sometimes they must rely on the description provided by witnesses, which can be inaccurate.
The training involved in becoming a disposal operator is extensive.
Operators are taught about bombs, what’s inside ordnance, and how it works. Safety is a huge issue, so they are taught how to protect themselves and the public. Importantly, they are taught to deal with the unknown. That, according to instructors, is often the hardest part – ensuring operators are prepared for anything.
Instructors have an array of equipment that can be used, and they are taught what equipment can be used in different scenarios. They learn to work methodically so they don’t miss anything. Some tasks are simple, and they can be dealt with quickly. Bomb disposal can take up to five hours to deal with, and, because they have been designed by someone to kill, disfigure or scare, can be complicated and very dangerous.
Bomb disposal operators spend much of their time upskilling, reading research, and familiarising themselves with overseas trends.
They usually possess certain personal characteristics, says LTCOL Boustridge. “As well as needing to have technical skills, they have to have the right temperament. They have to be confident, and able to cope with stress. Psychological assessment for suitability is a critical component of the selection process.”