Local bomb techs bring new disposal method to Florida

JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Some law enforcement officers may fly a little more under the radar than others, but their jobs are equally or even more dangerous.

“We burn flares, pyrotechnics, water gels that are used in mining,” Detective and Bomb Tech for the Division of Investigative Forensic Services Brian Mitchell said.

So when Brian Mitchell and Nick Singleton of the Florida Bomb Squad found a new way to dispose of those explosives, they brought their idea back to Jackson County. Then, they found a few partners to make their idea come to life.

“We’re proud to work with law enforcement on several different levels, so when the call came in with this specific need, we were very happy to do it,” Director of Governmental Affairs for Waste Pro Coastal Region Loyd Childree said.

“We’ve reached out to the Chipola welding department that’s going to modify it, and we will actually burn bad product that we retrieve and we get from the community,” Mitchell said.

The lid of the dumpster donated by Waste Pro will be switched from plastic to metal to make disposal safer, and all the welding work will be done by Chipola College students. This hands-on experience for students helps them hone their skills.

“It gets them out of the classroom and out of their book work and it gives them some real-world experience where they will actually have to have problem-solving skills,” Welding Instructor at Chipola College Cody Baxter said.

Officials say they hope this partnership not only helps the three parties involved but the whole community.

“It makes it where we can take that product, get it to a safe location, and dispose of it quickly and it makes all of your local bomb techs a lot safer when they’re doing disposals,” Mitchell said.

As well as the entire state, since we’re told this device is the first of its kind in Florida.

State Fire Marshal and CFO Jimmy Patronis sent us a statement about this new device:

“Florida’s dedicated bomb squads work around the clock to protect our communities from the threat of deadly fires and explosives. This extremely dangerous profession requires intense training to prepare our bomb technicians for any emergency situation they encounter. A huge thank you to Waste Pro and Chipola College for their support of our Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations by donating their time, expertise, and equipment to keep Floridians safe.”