N A B A
(North American Bungee Association)

 Bungee Safety Consultants/bungee.com

21 B Cedar Lane

Wood Village, Oregon 97060

United States of America

Víctor Gallo

Tropical Bungee

San Jose, Costa Rica

Attention: Approving Authority

Subject Bungee qualification and experience

Dear Sir or Madam:

It has been my pleasure to know Victor Gallo and his company Tropical Bungee of San Jose, Costa Rica since March of 1996. In the spring of 1996 I traveled to Costa Rica and trained Mr. Gallo on bungee cord construction techniques and the physical dynamics of bungee jumping, I will attach a copy of my extensive bungee resume which includes acting as the President of both the United States Bungee Association (U.S.B.A.) and the North American Bungee Association N.A.B. A.) for the past eight years. The NABA and the USBA has been a governing body for the bungee industry for the past decade. As one of the authors of the NABA/USBA Code of Safe Practice (Along with mechanical engineers Dr Bob Park and Mark Shudt M.B.A, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology “M.I.T.” and Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass), I am uniquely qualified to give my assessment of Mr. Gallo and his company Tropical Bungee.

 Mr. Gallo underwent a ten-day or eighty-hour training on bungee cord construction, mechanical bungee systems management and the requirements of the NABA/USBA Code of Safe Practice. Mr. Gallo excelled in this bungee training and had a clear grasp and showed full competence with the systems and procedures of operating a safe bungee-jumping site. I believe that Mr. Gallo’s extensive background in high-angle rope systems assisted greatly with his quick understanding and ability to implement our bungee safety systems.

 Mr. Gallo did follow up training course with me in July of 1996 when he traveled to the United States of America to participate in the ESPN X-Games in Providence, Rhode Island. Do to Mr. Gallo’s Understanding and competency of the Code of Safe Practice he was able to function as an event judge for the ESPN X-Games bungee jumping competition. After the X-Games were completed I conducted a Swiftwater/Rope Rescued Training certification course for Mr. Gallo. He received his certification as a Rescue Technician I from me in my capacity as acting instructor for Rescue 3/Rescue Source form Sacramento, California (The largest training group for Police and Fire Department Officers in the United States). I had encouraged Mr. Gallo to follow through with this training since his bungee bridge site in Costa Rica was above a moving body of water (river).

It has been our experience over the past 12 years of bungee operation in the USA that proper training and certification of both jump masters (bungee crew) is imperative for safe operations.

With a base of safe operational procedures and specific high-angle rope and bungee training you can expect a number of incidents and unfortunately some fatalities as unregulated bungee business proliferate in Costa Rica.

I can personally attest to the skill base of Mr. Gallo and his understanding of safe operational procedures. I would encourage the Costa Rican government to follow the lead of many of the States in the US and to adopt a base standard as outlined by the NABA/USBA. Mr. Gallo would be an excellent consultant for the government to turn in regulating this exciting and dynamic bungee jumping industry.

Please do not hesitate to contact me personally or the NABA/USBA for more information. I can be reached at casey@bungeemasters.com (503) 520~0303 or you can contact the NABA/USBA at naba@bungee.com