Balloon Drop Flame Resistance

Colin

Well-Known Member
Somehow in all these years I've never needed to preside over a balloon drop effect until now... Am I crazy to require a documented (I)FR net (which seems to eliminate all the time-saving commercially available pre-rigged balloon drop nets I see available) and what about the balloons themselves? The trick happens overhead in a theater. Seems like the rig wouldn't contribute much to a fire, but would melt and drip hot stuff on anybody below. Ask my AHJ, you say? Well sure, but this isn't a town where they'll know where to begin with this.
 
Somehow in all these years I've never needed to preside over a balloon drop effect until now... Am I crazy to require a documented (I)FR net (which seems to eliminate all the time-saving commercially available pre-rigged balloon drop nets I see available) and what about the balloons themselves? The trick happens overhead in a theater. Seems like the rig wouldn't contribute much to a fire, but would melt and drip hot stuff on anybody below. Ask my AHJ, you say? Well sure, but this isn't a town where they'll know where to begin with this.
I suspect you'll find no such animal conveniently available. I also think that if there were a fire sufficiently hot to melt the nylon/polyester/whatever, *at trim*, you've got a far bigger problem already taking place - i.e., the fire has already progressed into the auditorium
 
Seems like the rig wouldn't contribute much to a fire, but would melt and drip hot stuff on anybody below.
Can't say I have any experience with balloon drops but if you touch a flame to a balloon it'll simply pop sending the material flying through the air. Molten dripping would not be a concern of mine.

Not sure using an FR or IFR rated netting would be a concern of mine either. There's very little fuel load in that material. Unlikely that any flame or melting could be sustained and the netting has lots of airflow around it to dissipate heat unlike if you pointed a light fixture directly at a curtain from 6" away. Very unlike a curtain or drop where a flame will rapidly climb the fabric vertically and propagate outward. Keep a reasonable distance from light fixtures as you normally should and I wouldn't worry too much about it.

As @halenono pointed out, a latex allergy is a bigger concern and you would want to look at alternatives. There are documented cases of balloon drops causing near-fatal allergic reactions. If you must unavoidably use latex, definitely provide a notice in the preshow announcement.

 
20 years ago,I've done a handful of overhead balloon drops on crowds in Vegas. If the fire department doesn't care about them there, you could possibly be good to go where you are.
 
Boston FD didn’t care for the DNC back in the 2004. Huge ballon drop at the Garden.

Funny side story, but the secret service looked all the doors to the grid 10 minutes before the crew was to drop the balloons. Lots of screaming ensued.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back