Nuclear jumpers
| C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S |
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| Jonathan De la Cruz |
Until reports that Tokyo Electric Co. (Tepco) which operates the disaster stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, was offering $5,000 per day to any person who would literally jump into the damaged reactor to help clean up or repair certain items to stem the radiation flow and eventually stabilize it for final disposition the word “nuclear jumper” was hardly heard of. Now, with that sweetener of a pay off, we are told that Tepco is besieged with lots of queries a number of these from Filipinos who are presumably raring to do the “jump.” They would be making history and doing all of us a favor. But before anybody gets sucked into this decidedly high paying and yes, humanitarian job, to save the plant and the world from the dangers of a possible total and unmitigated meltdown, we urge them to read on the history of this rare band of super heroes, as one blogger called them, the better to appreciate the challenges which come with the job. Two articles, one written by Vera Christy in 1974 about US based “jumpers” she called “Nuclear Janitors” and a recent Reuters report on Ukrainian-American jumper Sergei Belyakov, are particularly instructive. I am excerpting parts of their story to give us a glimpse of the world of jumpers. Here goes:.... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110406com4.html
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