PGI rant about the PGI Safety Team

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Pyro-Gear
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PGI rant about the PGI Safety Team

Post by Pyro-Gear »

PGI rant about the PGI Safety Team and now past so called leadership.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnp_25N4cbk
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richardh08
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Re: PGI rant about the PGI Safety Team

Post by richardh08 »

What a fascinating insight. Thanks for posting that, Ken. I’ve heard several other critical comments about the direction the PGI seems to have been taking in recent years.

Why do such organisations start to fail? I think it’s down to one or more of a number of factors, including:
1) Apathetic leadership, doing nothing to support the group or its members
2) People at the ‘top’ who take themselves too seriously
3) Concentration on moral and legalistic judgements rather than on giving guidance and encouragement.

It’s a real shame that this seems to be happening to the PGI, but it’s not the first, and it won’t be the last. I hope that those who have ears to hear – wherever they may be – are listening to this kind of feedback.
Even when I'm wrong, I'm convincing.
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Boophoenix
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Re: PGI rant about the PGI Safety Team

Post by Boophoenix »

Hmm, I'm almost inclined to to say anything, but that's not to much of my style.

I'm a first year PGI Memenr and was a first time attendant at La Porte.

My experiance wasn't good at all out of the gate, but to be fair it was partial my own fault. Some will wonder so the short version I arrived at 11:30pm on Wed night after half a day work and 9 hour drive. My arrangements were to stay with a friend onsite in his camper. Registration closed sometime in the afternoon so I was told to come back tomorrow. It says so much somewhere in the paperwork or web site apparently I've not looked.

It was mentioned I wasn't allowed in a portion of a manufacturing area. This I don't know for sure I didn't inquire further I'm easy enough to deal with and don't need to be told twice.

My adventure was salvaged by a circumstance of picking up some items for others didn't afford me the option to turn around and leave very easily. Although I did text the vendor at midnight to try to make arrangement to do so. So I sucked it up slept in my Toyota truck Wed night.

Now for the good part. In my wonderings around I introduced myself to someone I had previous internet communications with about some ideas. During that greeting I happened to meet Tom Rebenklau as he was also there to speak to the same person. Well, since me and the other person were both newbies of sorts the other party way more so than me on the manufacturing aspects of pyro Tom proceeded to give a siminar from the tailgate of his truck. The first 30 minutes or so we're so enlightening as it was just the 3 of us. Then the crowd started to gather which again a personal prefrence I meander towards the back and just observe. Tom is an awesome fella to meet. He's so excited to share and friendly you can't help but like him.

I got to see Tom's works live and highly recommend that if the opportunity ever prose ts it's self. Video's don't do his artistry the justice it deserves.

I saw one of the displays on my way to the site over the trees a little. Aside from that Tom's works were the only other awesome things I saw aside from a few pesrsonal shells and oopsies of individuals. I left Sat morning since the grand displays were canceled on Friday due to weather. I did see a small portion of one of the grand displays I believe that was set off by lightening.

That was a short version of my experiance.

Now for my take from the video and other information I've come across in my few years in the art. PGI has always had some issues that someone was not happy about. I have some old bulletins from PGI and they talk about some of the troubles in them in the early years. I don't recall details but do rember finding it a little strange. I've always noticed many groups have the incrowd and everyone else. PGI is no different I don't think. I've heard as much many times from others. No big deal it's normal.

It seems PGI is a volunteer group which in itself on this scale can lead to issues. As far as the now past president Danny I have had a couple of short conversations with him via a forum. Seemed like a nice guy. He seemed fairly well liked by some others I know. He's generously shared information that I can tell and has a personal site ( link below ) he shares some of his testing work on and other things. It seemed his resignation was a shock to most. For some reason it seems like I knew it was coming, but I don't know why ( maybe I'm confusing people and situations ). As far as the new president I haven't clue who it is I think I heard his name mentioned and it didn't ring any bells.

http://www.wichitabuggywhip.com/fireworks/index.html

I can't comment much about access to the field. I ventured out there twice. Once as a passenger to see the rocket rodeo and Tom's works. It was open shooting night Thur. On Friday afternoon I recieved a call from Bill Corbett who shoots some large liquid fuel mines at PGI. This year was another one up of himself at 425 gallons. He asked I meet them on the field as we are friends and we shoot fuel mines together regularly over the past few years.

As far as Dave's ( I believe that his name ) comments from the video I think I recall a snafu a few years ago where he was videoing people at PGI without their permission ( I could be wrong here, but don't think I am or I wouldn't mention it ). It's an understanding when you onsite at PGI you request permission for photos and videos from the individuals. Maybe this caused him to have some extra issues?

Personally I'm not a fan of his. No real cause behind that sentiment that I can elaborate on. He just strikes me funny. I know he has issues with others and have heard discussions of it for a couple of years now from the now defunct PyroU. My opinion was formed before I heard all the hoopla between the groups. So as a personal prefrence I take anything he says with a grain of salt.

Back to PGI I know and have met a few of the people I'd consider the in crowd along with some of the safety people. I have no issue with any of them. I think it's a matter of everyone needs to attend once and form their own opinion of PGI. Personally it's a little big for me. I prefer smaller groups where you can interact more individually without so much hustle and bustle.

So I'm still a little up in the air about PGI. I'll not attend next year as the travel is to far for a maybe good time. When it comes back to this side of the country I'll probably give it another go and from a true opinion then.
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Re: PGI rant about the PGI Safety Team

Post by richardh08 »

Thanks, Bradley, for that account of your PGI visit. I have no doubt that the vast majority of those who attended found it enjoyable and informative. I am sure you are right when you say that any organisation of sufficient size will have its share of awkward personalities and I don't expect that the PGI is any different.

Although my little outburst was prompted by Dave's video (incidentally, does he count as an 'organisation' in the above sense?) and a couple of other negative comments that came my way, I have to admit that the PGI wasn't uppermost in my mind as I wrote. People who live this side of the pond might be able to guess what was.
Even when I'm wrong, I'm convincing.
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