Personnel
Mike Skiffington
Special EOD Projects Manager Head Office
EOD Team Leader – New Zealand Army
Advanced Senior Ammunition Technician – New Zealand Army
Officer/SNCO Advanced EOD Course – DEODS UK
National Vocational Qualification – Planning and Management of Munition Clearance Operations - UK
Member Institute of Explosive Engineers
Test Certifier for Explosives – NZDF and ERMA
Site Safe – Supervisor Gold Card
St. Johns Ambulance First Aid Certificate
Confined Space Entry
Victoria OHS Construction Induction
Based in Tauranga in New Zealand’s North Island, Mike performs the duties as a field Project Manager for Milsearch. He has 20 years military experience as an Ammunition Technician in the NZ Army and as a civilian Explosive Technician at the Royal New Zealand Naval Armament Depot. Since completing service with the New Zealand Defence Force, Mike has worked in the commercial Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) field.
During 14 years service in the NZ Army as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, his career provided him with extensive training and experience in ammunition management and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (including Biological and Chemical). Significant posts held included IEDD/EOD Team Leader responsible was the conduct of IEDD and EOD operations in support of civil authorities. Secondary responsibilities involved the conduct of and attendance at continuation training, planned disposal tasks, liaison with and IED/EOD briefings to civil agencies. Others include deployment as EOD Team Leader to Afghanistan as a member of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team Tasks included; mine and IED/EOD awareness briefs, disposal of conventional munitions, disarmament of former militia forces, cache clearance and disposal tasks.
Mike has also filled several ammunition technical appointments in NZ Defence Force Ammunition Depots progressing from hands-on tasks to Chief Ammunition Technician appointments responsible for the operation of ammunition depot operations responsibilities included storage, accounting and management of explosive inventory, Inspection of explosives, repair and modification of ammunition, breaking down of ammunition for training aids, certifying ammunition Free From Explosives, trial and proofing of explosives and ammunition, explosive accident investigations and certification (licensing) of explosive facilities.
Since being employed by Milsearch, Mike has worked on numerous projects as a project manager and EOD technician in Australia and PNG. In Australia, some of his projects include remediation and clearance of Moorebank Supply Depot, the Somerton former Naval Armament Depot, Marrangaroo former ammunition and chemical weapons depot, Stockton Range, Campbell Park former range area, Majura Training Area and Harvey (WA) former infantry live firing training area. Mike has also been involved in several field contamination assessment studies throughout Australia.
Currently Mike is fulfilling duties as an EOD Project Manager.
