Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

[Bob 125th NYSVI]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

It is always 'safe' until it isn't.

I'm sure Mr. White's family would trade all 500 shells he claims to have safetly defused to have him back one more day.

And to avoid the lawsuit that has to be coming from the owners of the property that was damaged when he failed this time.

Sorry you defuse a bomb in place when it can't be moved, someone's life is in imminant danger or you are investigating a crime.

Otherwise you blow it UP.

There isn't one CW explosive that is worth the life of anybody in the United States.

It's easy to say 'oh they should do this' when it is their life in danger not yours or your family's.

Sorry boys I've got a brother who is a cop and he already lost friends on 911 doing their duty. To lose another to satify your curiosity about the CW ain't worth it.

[Dignann]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

Just out of curiosity, to those that feel Petersburg NBP is "grandstanding" and that its decision is "overkill," how do you think they should go about preserving those shells that they do find? Realize, of course, that the NPS does not have the resources to disarm the shells themselves, and that local and federal EOD departments are apparently unwilling to devote the time and resources to do the job for it.

Eric

[1stMaine]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

Eric,

Why not put the task out to bid? Put out a request for proposals that would allow a provate contractor to remove any located ordnance deemed live or suspected of being live, in exchange for the company leeping the removed objects?

Win Win. The park gets live ordnance removed, and the company can make a profit selling the disarmed item(s) to collectors.

The park would have a hold-harmless agreement that specified the contractor assumed all risks and absolved the park, et all, from any and all liability.

Respects.

[Dignann]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

Tim,

That could work. Of course, the NPS would still bear certain responsibilities, such as making sure the contractor has a safe and approved facility and method for disarming potentially live shells, insurance, etc. I'm not familiar with OSHA, but I would assume that those rules and regulations would apply to interested contractors. One can only imagine what the NPS, as a federal agency, would expect in the way of safety precautions both on and off the site. However, it could work.

Eric

[HistoryGeek]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

Evan are you kidding or unable to view the entire thread?

Just to recap the Park service made this ruling after the February 2008 death of relic hunter Samuel H. White of Chester who was killed while defusing a similar shell.

Not sure how you keep time but I would say that is recent.

As much as I love history and would hate to see anything that can tells us more about our past destroyed, I value life as more important. Trying to render a 140 year old piece of ordnance that has been exposed to corrosion safe is dangerous for even the most experienced EOD person.

The graveyards are full of a whole lot of people who thought they knew what they were doing. :wink_smil

Ok. I do agree that human life is more important than a 140+ year old piece of ordnance. But still how could anyone of defused ordnance for a living? I personally value MY life.

HistoryGeek
Evan Hunsberger

[Mbond057]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

There are jobs that are inherently dangerous such as police officers, fire fighters, and soldiers. These types might be thrill seekers but I don’t believe them foolish with their lives or the lives of others.

Firefighters sometimes will let a structure burn if there is no safe way to attack the fire. Police officers will call off the high speed chase if the situation is escalating that innocent citizen could be hurt by continuing the pursuit. Soldiers try and minimize the risk by stacking on the target with concentrated maximize firepower.

With that being said, EOD minimize their risk by blowing up ordnance in a safe area instead of disarming the devices.

I have a friend who is the commander of his agencies bomb squad. He has a tee-shirt with the words on it: “I’m with the bomb squad, if you see me running try and keep up”. I think the humor on his shirt speaks to the fact they know what they do is dangerous and they accept the risk of what they do, but they are not careless.

Now think about this………..

What would happen to the US or State Park that had unexploded ordnance detonate while having contracted EOD removing the ordnance? Forget about any “Hold Harmless Wavier” there will likely be a law suit brought by family members of the dead or injured. Could the Park actually go bankrupt defending against such a lawsuit and forcing legislators to sell off part of the Park property to compensate for this financial loss?

We all know that are National and State Parks are in serious danger of developers pushing and wanting the land. Why give them ammunition from a tragic accident of removing newfound unexploded ordnance.

Let’s take the 10,000 foot view of the problem and limit the risk all the way around. I believe this is what occurred with the Parks decision to destroy new found unexploded ordnance, and it wasn’t just a knee jerk reaction by the Parks.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Park’s new policy on Civil War artillery: Call the bomb squad

Hallo!

Moderator hat on...

IMHO, this thread has run its course, and much like modern gun control discussions, has gone beyond its Civil War historcal value and its preservation and collector informative value as to how CW ordnance is now sometimes being destroyed.

It is being closed.

Curt