The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit featured in the movie The Hurt Locker has a long history. Bomb disposal goes back to the good old days of World War I, when the British army made it a formalized practice to deal with the growing problem of unexploded shells left over from the war that contained manufacturing defects. The techniques used to disarm these unexploded bombs have evolved over the years, from World War II, to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, to the present conflicts like Iraq. Techniques for disarming these weapons vary and depend on several variables, including the proximity of the bomb to densely populated areas or critical facilities.
Contrary to the image portrayed in modern day movies, the role of the Bomb Disposal Operator is to accomplish their task as remotely as possible. Actually laying hands on a bomb is only done in an extremely life-threatening situation, where the hazards to people and critical structures can't be lessened.
