Respectfully, I partially disagree with your statement of World Drive going through the fallout area for the shoot-site and here’s why.
In ideal weather conditions and with the assumption that the front positions of the shoot-site only are used for aerial shells no larger than 3” in diameter and/or non-bursting non-splitting devices such as comets or mines as large as 6”, the minimum required distances established by NFPA 1123 for the purposes of establishing a Fallout Area are met.
Minimum site size required distances are defined within NFPA 1123 Section 5.1.3, 5.1.4 defines Other Site Requirements, 5.1.5 Fallout Area, and minimum spectator separation distances defined in Section 5.2.
<p>1.1 Scope.<br />1.1.1 <br />This code shall apply to the following:<br />(1) Construction, handling, and use of fireworks and equipment intended for outdoor fireworks display<br />(2) Operation of the display (See 3.3.16, Fireworks Display.)<br />1.1.2 <br />This code shall not apply to...
www.nfpa.org
In my opinion, the concern/risk with the site’s fallout area and World Drive is when inclement weather (in particular high wind) occurs in the direction of World Drive which in-turn causes impact to the Fallout Area of duds. In some conditions that allow for it, the wind could be accounted for by angling mortars in a direction away from, in this case, World Drive.
While I don’t have knowledge of exactly what size shells are fired from each position, the included photos show that the front positions meet defined distance requirements of NFPA 1123 for shooting 3” aerial shells (210’ radius), the second photo shows that the first position back from the fronts allows for a distance which allows for up to 6” shells (420’ radius), the third photo shows a 560’ radius and could allow up to 8” shells to be shot from, and then the final photo shows the furthest position from World Drive easily allows for up to 10” shells (700’ radius) to be fired vertically in ideal weather conditions.
What I can understand is that there is/was a concern and initially unaccounted for risk with the site as it pertains to your mention of the increased demand on required fire suppression apparatus to post-display brush fires and/or the initial lack of accounting for inclement weather/higher winds during a display which could’ve ultimately attributed to a mortar that didn’t perform as intended and (as seen in the YouTube video) ended up breaking at/near ground-level on World Drive.
Furthermore, Disney is known across the industry for its enhanced safety protocols. If the site didn’t originally meet the minimum required distances as defined within NFPA 1123, they wouldn’t continue to use the site, even in instances of special events, without taking steps that bring the shoot-site into compliance.
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