Local officials should take a much closer look at the recent arrests the FBI made in foiling a terrorist group from planting bombs on subway cars and buses in New York.
If this kind of thing can be gestating in New York, then it can be gestating right here in Everrett or in the vicinity.
Here in Everett, we have some of the largest concentrations of highly volatile fuels in all of Massachusetts.
Fuel of every kind is in abundance here – jet fuel and LNG primary among them.
We have been told about the relative safety of the LNG tanks, and frankly, we try to believe that nothing could make the tanks explode.
But this is wrong, of course.
Anything under the right circumstances can be made to ignite and to explode.
This being the case, Everett should continue to improve its anti-terrorism modalities, and all the various city departments should get together from time to time to discuss the situation –especially after finds like the New York terrorists have been made.
Everett is a safe community, a decent place to live and work – but with all the industry here and with the flammables all around, extra care must be taken constantly in order to keep the city safe.
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"Terrorism still a possibility" Thursday, September 24, 2009
I was a fire fighter in the US Air Force many years ago now, with the rank of Senior Airman. One of the things I learned as a firefighter was there is more danger from the missile on a fighter aircraft than the fuel it is carrying. Unless the fuel tanks are near empty there is little chance of a fuel explosion from an aircraft and I would guest it's the same for the large jet fuel tanks. It is the fumes that explode not the fuel itself so if the tanks are kept full or near full there is less room in the tank for a lot of fumes. I would say it would be more like lighter fluid on a charcoal fire in the back yard grill. When you put a match to the grill yes it will burst into flames but it won't explode. More likely it will punch a hole in the tank and flames will shoot out of the hole and pore out into the ditch around the tank. I could be wrong, you can check with the local fire department on this, but I believe it is a more likely scenario.