A security guard is attacked at a power plant

WSAZ NewsChannel 3 ^ | November 5, 2001 | Scott Saxton

[Sunshine55]

PUTNAM CO., WV, Nov. 5 - With the world as it is now, an attack at a power plant gets even more attention. And it comes just days after the news leaked that the coast guard was already looking for a suspicious boat in our region. At this point, the coast guard is not sure whether the two things are connected. It could be a coincidence. But here's the good thing out of this whole mess: AEP says it was a test that security passed.

Putnam County Sheriff Stan Farley says, "Someone tried to come on the property." They came from the river side of the John Amos plant. A female security guard spotted one man and chased him. Then she says he turned and hit her. Farley says, "They were talking some type of foreign language. They got into the boat and took up the river." By the time police got there, only the ripples of the river remained. The men were long gone.

They're described as two dark skinned men, wearing dark clothing. Joe Haynes, with the John Amos Plant, says, "Our security reacted exactly the way we wanted them to." The Kanawha River is very close to the John Amos plant. AEP officials say from time to time people wander on to their property. Two months ago, they wouldn't have thought twice about this incident. Now they do.

September 11th changed that. A recent report from the Coast Guard adds to the concern. The guard says some boat is masquerading as a guard vessel in this region. Haynes says, "We're a little more sensitive to those kind of things, so we have to take that extra little bit of precaution when something like this happens." Joe Haynes says the already tight security at John Amos tightened even more after September 11th. Guards use mirrors to check under cars and trucks, just one precaution to keep much of the Valleys power supply pumping.

The guard who was involved in that scuffle, Patricia Parsons, is okay. She did go to the hospital, but she only had minor injuries. The Coast Guard is looking closer into this incident. They have the discretion with any water incident. They consider this a serious incident, so they're helping out. They can see if there are any connections to the bogus boat.

[jrewingjr]

If the right plant is hit, there could be a HUNDRED THOUSAND deaths due to the MIC gas. If you're not blown up in the explosion, the poison gas will get you.

Sunshine55, could this be moved to breaking news please? I don't know how that really works. I'm biased for sure because it happened so nearby, but still, it was an attempted attack that could have had catastrophic consequences. Does the moderator move it? Thanks ahead of time to whoever moves it, if it can be.

Be safe.

[piasa]

As a woman, I can say that chasing a guy down and getting close enough to be hit is not my style. I would much prefer to drop them at a safe distance.

[piasa]

I don't think ANYONE should be in that position unarmed. It's nuts to have unarmed security in the first place.

[jrewingjr]

Bump.

[jrewingjr]

I've been there, there are some real "chemical valleys".

I had always heard even as a kid that both Hitler, and later the russkies had a real keen interest in taking us out here. I remember when my grandmother showed me the World Book listing for where I live, they called it "The Chemical Valley of the World." No fun being near these plants now, that's for sure.

[Travis McGee]

It's damned eery driving through there, that's for sure.

Parts of it look like a set from Alien. Mile after mile of pipes and pumps and mainfolds and tanks and God knows what.

All squeezed tightly into valleys.

[Flyer]

I would much prefer to drop them at a safe distance.

You go girl!

[Terrorista Nada]

"Why are these people still in our country?"

In fiscal year 1999 (latest figures available) there were 1,067 illegal aliens a day being caught in Southern California walking across the border, being smuggled across the border, and driving across the border, mostly in the backcountry, and not through the official Ports of Entry.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service reports 389,427 illegal aliens were caught crossing the border from Mexico in southern CA in fiscal year 1999. I suspect many more weren't caught. And even more are coming across in Arizona now.

The borders are wide open, and we're still arguing about airport screeners and whether to bomb on Ramadon.

[jrewingjr]

All squeezed tightly into valleys

My dad used to work in in the unit that made MIC, a component of the pesticide Sevin. Union Carbide owned it back then. Post-Bhopal, here is the only place in the world that MIC - methyl isocyanate - is produced now. I know all about this stuff; it is extremely dangerous. That's why I am taking security here DAMN seriously. We're playing for keeps.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

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[classygreeneyedblonde]

I thought the National Guard we're protecting all power plants.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Why didn't she shoot him?

[Osinski]

"Our security reacted exactly the way we wanted them to."

What? What happened to "Halt or I'll shoot" BANG ?

[Samwise]

Your point is well taken. However, yes--they do hire elderly men to protect power plants. They are armed with a pad of paper and pen to log people in and out. That's it. Someone takes a fleashlight and walks around a couple of times at night to make sure the fish are not being killed by hot water.

[grania]

My understanding is we cannot kick them out unless we declare "WAR"! I say we should go for it.

It's our country, we should EXPECT and DEMAND that our country retake its borders, remove all illegals as soon as identified, same with those misusing/overextending visas, foreign workers who can be replaced by unemployed Americans. It shouldn't take an act of war to do it.

Here's why...the globalists will at some point declare that they won the war and it's time to declare victory and open the borders again.

I'm gradually coming to the realization that our real enemy right now is those who put cheap labor and global markets ahead of our country's best interests.

[Don Myers]

"The sheeple are more awake than you know."

If that were true, people would be hunting down their congressmen and demanding they deport illegals and declare war.

[Don Myers]

"I think your comment belongs on "the most perposterous" thread!"

Where am I wrong?

[Grig]

If it had been a manly man security guard instead of some woman, we might have got one of them.

[shezza]

Lewisburg ping patrol!

[unitedwestand]

What part of "THIS IS WAR" doesn't this country understand? The fact that these individuals were as close as they were to a power plant indicates a complete and blatant failure in our ability to protect ourselves. This is a definite breach of security and is completely unexcuseable at a facility of this magnitude. It is time to lock and load. Trespassers at these facilities need to be shot first and interogated later. If we don't interpret and act on this incident as a threat to our very being, what will it take to become an important matter? It is time to activate the National Guard to protect anything nuclear.