Breaking: Pantex, (Nuclear Plant), on Lockdown

Originally posted by Iamonlyhuman

Originally posted by Magnum007
reply to post by Iamonlyhuman

Although I agree with your train of thought, there is a limit to the sensitivity to a threat.. I have to admit, I was not there, but if indeed the threat was a couple of hunters, then someone has no sense of judgment...

There is a HUGE difference between a hunter who is hunting and an armed person who means harm...

Magnum

So you think that they should wait to implement procedures so they can go and see the reason why armed people are in the perimeter of the facility? I agree there is a difference, although not a huge one, between a hunter and someone with mal-intent. However, I do not agree that the intent of the person should be established before they implement security procedures. That can all be ironed out after the safety of the people employed there and the facility have been secured.
[edit on 15/1/2010 by Iamonlyhuman]

Are you saying that a place that handles nuclear weapons doesn't have armed officers/military that can approach the people and speak to them before shutting down the whole facility? All it takes is a bunch of guys to surround them and say "Hi! How are you? Can I help you? Are you lost? What are you doing here?"

Then again, in this world, there is no talking anymore...

Peace,

Magnum

I have two relatives that work at Pantex. I'll try and call them and see if this truly was just a "duck hunter" incident gone wrong, or if there is something more to it.

Knowing what they have said about it, there had to have been a real perceived threat for them to lock down Pantex.

Edit: My mom just got off the phone with a family member who works there, and he said that all it was was that some security guys saw some guys in cammo heading toward Pantex, and that the media blew it way out of proportion.

[edit on 15-1-2010 by riddle6]

Originally posted by Magnum007
Are you saying that a place that handles nuclear weapons doesn't have armed officers/military that can approach the people and speak to them before shutting down the whole facility? All it takes is a bunch of guys to surround them and say "Hi! How are you? Can I help you? Are you lost? What are you doing here?"

Then again, in this world, there is no talking anymore...

Of course they have security that can talk to intruders and this is what they did except the talking didn't happen first, by design. It is not procedure to talk to armed intruders before implementing ERO procedures to ensure that the safety of the employees and the facility are taken care of first and foremost. Remember why the procedures are there in the first place – to protect employees and the facility – not to mess with duck hunters. Also, remember that everyone, besides security, at these facilities are unarmed and could not protect themselves against armed men. Think about this - had these people been of mal-intent, let’s just call them terrorists for the sake of brevity, who is to say that there weren’t more of them than the ones that security saw? What if they had waited to shelter employees and shut down the facility in order to talk to these terrorists first. Wouldn’t the unarmed employees make lovely hostages? What if they weren’t able to raise the alarm after they determined that they were terrorists and not duck hunters?

If the employees weren’t already sheltered and the facility in lockdown, it gives the terrorists more time to do what they came to do AND it would be putting the employees in harms way. Even though there are more security than those identifying the threat, it would be giving these terrorists more time, and giving employees / facility personnel less time – which, in this scenario, is not what you want to happen.

You have to assume that everyone approaching a facility like this, especially visibly armed and in camo, are of mal-intent. If you don't then what if you're wrong? What they did was very appropriate.

Originally posted by riddle6
Edit: My mom just got off the phone with a family member who works there, and he said that all it was was that some security guys saw some guys in cammo heading toward Pantex, and that the media blew it way out of proportion.

See how riddle6’s relative didn’t think that it was an overreaction on the part of security but on the part of the media? I know I’d be a little irritated that I’d have been interrupted from my work, but I also know that, once I'd learned of the circumstances of unknown, armed men, dressed in camo approaching the facility, I’d be grateful that the procedures were conservative.

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


I just find it funny that security at a facility that handles nuclear material doesn't have armed security...

Magnum

Originally posted by Magnum007
reply to post by Iamonlyhuman

 

I just find it funny that security at a facility that handles nuclear material doesn't have armed security...

Magnum

What? Where'd you get that impression?

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman


Sorry I misread the line that said :

Also, remember that everyone, besides security, at these facilities are unarmed and could not protect themselves against armed men.

I read it too quickly... My bad...

Magnum

I grew up in Amarillo. My dad had a roofing companyat the time and he landed a contract for a job at PanTex. The security clearences and protocol that they had to go through on a daily basis in order to work out there was pretty strict.

They don't piss around when it comes to security measures and being alert and prepared at all times.

Hunters or not ... I'm glad to see that they have heightened security measures in place and active when there's ANY hint of something that could go wrong.

How many of the people here saying that they're being stupid and over reacted due to paranoia, are the same people that argue that there was enough info prior to 9/11 to heighten the security? Yeah, I thought so.

You work at a Nuclear Facility. You see a number of armed individuals in camoflauge making they way towards the facility in a near-by field. Are you telling me that you're "level minded" enough to know without a doubt that those people are duck hunters and see no need to alert anyone else of their presence? If so, I hope you never go into the security or law enforcement field.

reply to post by Detailed Perfection


I am in law enforcement, and YES I need to stay level minded at all times. It's not only expected from me, but it's a question of professionalism. I don't shoot first and ask questions later...

I understand that the US government is paranoid over stupidities, but that doesn't mean that people shouldn't have common sense; especially the law enforcement agencies sworn to protect you.

I have a brain and use it when I work to prevent people from getting hurt and from causing a big stupidity out of nothing.

Magnum