On Anniversary of Three Mile Island Crisis

[Marlin]

On Anniversary of Three Mile Island Crisis, a Look at Times We Came Even Closer to Nuclear Disaster


http://www.realclearlife.com/history/three-mile-island-near-nuclear-disasters/

[Chimera]

"one small malfunction"??  As I remember it, it was the string of actions following the "one small malfunction" (and a couple before the accident that exacerbated the problem) that caused the "accident".  As far as that goes, it was the media with their horde of 60 NRC Inspectors that did the most to "traumatize" the local populace.

[Marlin]

it was the media with their horde of 60 NRC Inspectors that did the most to "traumatize" the local populace.

...and we still don't seem to have learned from it.

The health effects of Fukushima

The mental or physical burden of the forced move from their homes because of the Fukushima accident was the cause of 34 early deaths, said a report from Japan's Reconstruction Agency

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_The_health_effects_of_Fukushima_2808121.html

Why Panic Caused More Deaths than Radiation at Fukushima

https://www.inverse.com/article/6336-panic-caused-more-death-than-radiation-at-fukushima

[SCMasterchef]

Has it been 48 years since that night?  I can remember it like it was yesterday.  We on the night shift that night will always remember, not the panic, not the fear, not the nightmare, but a situation that was out of our control.  Dave, Tiny, Pat and myself will always remember.  We did as we were told, without fear or panic, just a job.  The Ops guys did their thing, the way they were taught.  All of us were there.  Not the hundreds of others who say they were there but weren't.  They may have come a day or two later but not there that night.  Professionals trying to do what they thought they should.  The guys who came into the situation on day shift, picked up the job and did their thing.  The only person who even showed an ounce of fear, later became a NRC Inspector, how appropriate.  Another just flat out left town, never to be seen again, how appropriate.  The rest of us stayed worked, what forever seemed like endless hours, doing our job.  What is really ironic about the whole situation, nobody, nobody was killed, nobody was injured that night and the days to follow, we did our job.  Remember these folks and the job they did.  No thanks to the Jimmy Carters, Dick Thornbourgh, and not the other political posturers of that time, we did our best.  Thank you for remembering TMI.

[Marlin]

Has it been 48 years since that night?  I can remember it like it was yesterday.  We on the night shift that night will always remember, not the panic, not the fear, not the nightmare, but a situation that was out of our control.  Dave, Tiny, Pat and myself will always remember.  We did as we were told, without fear or panic, just a job.  The Ops guys did their thing, the way they were taught.  All of us were there.  Not the hundreds of others who say they were there but weren't.  They may have come a day or two later but not there that night.  Professionals trying to do what they thought they should.  The guys who came into the situation on day shift, picked up the job and did their thing.  The only person who even showed an ounce of fear, later became a NRC Inspector, how appropriate.  Another just flat out left town, never to be seen again, how appropriate.  The rest of us stayed worked, what forever seemed like endless hours, doing our job.  What is really ironic about the whole situation, nobody, nobody was killed, nobody was injured that night and the days to follow, we did our job.  Remember these folks and the job they did.  No thanks to the Jimmy Carters, Dick Thornbourgh, and not the other political posturers of that time, we did our best.  Thank you for remembering TMI.

   I was at VY listening to everything I could get out of the news and rumor mill. There was a call for 300 HPTs, which I had to scratch my head at, as the OCAW had estimated 700 HPTs nation wide while attempting to organize contract Techs not long before. They found a bunch of Techs from somewhere.


   38 years, but radcon math is accepted. 
 

[GLW]

Has it been 48 years since that night?  I can remember it like it was yesterday.  We on the night shift that night will always remember, not the panic, not the fear, not the nightmare, but a situation that was out of our control.  Dave, Tiny, Pat and myself will always remember.  We did as we were told, without fear or panic, just a job.  The Ops guys did their thing, the way they were taught.  All of us were there.  Not the hundreds of others who say they were there but weren't.  They may have come a day or two later but not there that night.  Professionals trying to do what they thought they should.  The guys who came into the situation on day shift, picked up the job and did their thing.  The only person who even showed an ounce of fear, later became a NRC Inspector, how appropriate.  Another just flat out left town, never to be seen again, how appropriate.  The rest of us stayed worked, what forever seemed like endless hours, doing our job.  What is really ironic about the whole situation, nobody, nobody was killed, nobody was injured that night and the days to follow, we did our job.  Remember these folks and the job they did.  No thanks to the Jimmy Carters, Dick Thornbourgh, and not the other political posturers of that time, we did our best.  Thank you for remembering TMI.

AIUI, it was Pete V. who should have garnered many thanks,...

then again, I was not there, and I never heard Pete indicate that he expected thanks,...

just a guy doing his job,...
it was other folks who informed me later,...

[RFaunt]

Has it been 48 years since that night?  I can remember it like it was yesterday.  We on the night shift that night will always remember, not the panic, not the fear, not the nightmare, but a situation that was out of our control.  Dave, Tiny, Pat and myself will always remember.  We did as we were told, without fear or panic, just a job.  The Ops guys did their thing, the way they were taught.  All of us were there.  Not the hundreds of others who say they were there but weren't.  They may have come a day or two later but not there that night.  Professionals trying to do what they thought they should.  The guys who came into the situation on day shift, picked up the job and did their thing.  The only person who even showed an ounce of fear, later became a NRC Inspector, how appropriate.  Another just flat out left town, never to be seen again, how appropriate.  The rest of us stayed worked, what forever seemed like endless hours, doing our job.  What is really ironic about the whole situation, nobody, nobody was killed, nobody was injured that night and the days to follow, we did our job.  Remember these folks and the job they did.  No thanks to the Jimmy Carters, Dick Thornbourgh, and not the other political posturers of that time, we did our best.  Thank you for remembering TMI.

I didn't know you were one of the TMI guys. I always enjoy talking to some of the people who were there that night. The numbers are dwindling around the plant, but there are a couple who still can vividly recall it. Craig F. doesn't talk much about it, but some of the AOs who were on the floor describe it as just doing their jobs while the situation unfolded. Every time I walk through the Unit-2 Aux, it feels like a history tour.

In related news, the yearly vigil at the south entrance continues to dwindle in participation.

[SCMasterchef]

We won't go into the Pete V. discussion.  He was not as involved as he had dreamed he was.  Mostly talk and crap.  There were far more important people than that (Dick D., Tom M., Ed E., Gary R.,  Ed. H., and numerous others in RP/Chem) that played significant roles that many people may have forgotten.  The Ops guys did a tremendous job for what they were facing with the knowledge and training that they were given, no one should ever fault them for the situation.  Upper Management at TMI were to blame for most of the bad history that came out of the whole thing.  They were historically bad when it came to training and spending money on sorely needed instrumentation.  I can still remember the expression on Terry D. and Tuffy's faces when I came through the auxiliary bldg. chasing everyone out.  It was like holis__t!  Sorry for the year miscalculation, it happens once you hit 70.  After all these years, still miss the guys that were there, really, really good people.

[Marlin]

Sorry for the year miscalculation, it happens once you hit 70.  After all these years, still miss the guys that were there, really, really good people.

   No need for a " hurtful retraction" my SubVets group averages about 75 and I enjoy the hell out of those guys. Not far behind at 64 and find myself in a room wondering why I came in more often than I care to admit.