ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brent L. Blanchard currently serves as Operations Manager for Protec Documentation Services Inc., Rancocas Woods, New Jersey. The firm performs vibration consulting, structural survey and photographic work for contractors throughout the United States and abroad.

In addition, Mr. Blanchard is a senior writer for implosionworld.com, a website that publishes news and information related to the explosive demolition industry. His team's work is also regularly published in various periodicals such as The Journal of Explosives Engineering (ISEE-USA), Explosives Engineering (IEE-UK), Demolition Magazine, Demolition & Recycling International, Constructioneer and Construction News.

Over the past 24 years, Mr. Blanchard's photographic images depicting demolition projects have won numerous national and international awards, and collections of his team's work have been showcased in The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Franklin Institute Science Museum, among other prestigious venues. He has also appeared on internationally broadcast television documentaries such as Demolition Day (CBS News), Demolition (NBC/Dateline), Blastmasters (The Learning Channel) and The Art & Science of Blasting (Discovery Channel) as an authority on the explosive demolition industry.

Acknowledgments

Robert Hopler, Powderman Consultants
Jerry Rice, Accurate Energetic Solutions
Jim Dickenson, Accurate Energetic Solutions
Robert Bingham, Dyno Nobel Americas
Roger Prescott, Austin Powder Co.
Albert "Bud" Opperman, DuPont Co.
Per-Anders Persson, Professor, New Mexico Tech (also Dyno Nobel Inc., Sweden)
Tom Dowling, IME/Hercules (retired)
Chris Ronay, IME
Arlene Chafe, ISEE
Michael Taylor, NADC
Michael Golden, Protec Documentation Services
Robert Johnstone, RBJ Engineering
David Sinclair, Tri-Source Consulting
Lou Gaul, Editor
Gary Blanchard, Editor
Lisa Blanchard, Editor
All of the blasters and assistants referenced below

Contributing Organizations:

International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE)
Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME)
National Association of Demolition Contractors (NADC)

Interviews and conversations with the following licensed blasters and associates:

Holly Bennett
Pat Carney
Anna Chong
David Evans
Steve Forester
Emory Gray
Dick Green
Richard Gustafson
Scott Gustafson
Prudy Gustafson
Daniel Gustafson
Danny Jowenko
Eric Kelly
Eric Kelly, Jr.
Lisa Kelly
John Kohler
Roger Livesey
Jack Loizeaux
Mark Loizeaux
Douglas Loizeaux
Stacey Loizeaux
Phillip Lowe
Merritt McAlinden
"Tex" McAlinden
Rod McCracken
Charles Moran
Jay Morgan
Fred Nicol
Darren Palin
Steve Pettigrew
Debbie Pettigrew
Steve Rainwater
Jim Redyke
Jared Redyke
Ryan Redyke
Harry Schroeder
Allan Thompson
John Turner
Mick Williams