A police firing range next to a nuclear power plant? What could possibly go wrong?

[bushmeister0]

From the WTF files: Calvert County, MD, Sheriff's office hosted a statewide SWAT shoot-off on a firing range next to the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant in Lusby.

Would have never seen this coming!

WaPo:

"At least five bullets escaped the firing range and traveled more than a half-mile before striking buildings and a vehicle near the reactors, according to the NRC, Constellation and the sheriff's office.

One struck the plant's 'outage control center,' which is used as a command area to orchestrate refueling efforts. Another hit an employee's sport-utility vehicle in the parking lot. Three others struck an office facility: Two of them hit the roof, and one shattered the outer pane of a first-floor window . . . Typically, officers shoot southward, away from the plant, while on the firing range, but during the exercise, officers somehow fired eastward. The rounds cleared an almost 30-foot-high berm and flew about 3,400 feet before striking the two office buildings and the door of the parked SUV."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052703405.html?hpid%3Dartslot&sub=AR

Duh!

[spanone]

1. maybe they should shoot in the other direction?

[bushmeister0]

3. Yeah, I think so.

They're supposed to, but "somehow" they didn't. Hence the bigtime "duh" factor.

[JohnnyBoots]

2. That is straight out of 'The Simpsons' Very glad nothing happened that we can tell so far.

[11 Bravo]

4. "Please do not fire at the nuclear weapon" John Travolota in "Broken Arrow".

[ThomWV]

5. What could possibly go wrong? Not much of anything, why?

You could stand back and shoot at a reactor for 100 years and never do jack shit other than you might hit a maintainence man now and then. In case you weren't aware of it you can fly airplanes into the dam things and not cause a release.

[bushmeister0]

8. You're right, but who would actually do anything like that?

Other than these cops, I mean.

It's probably better not to test out your theory, though.

[GKirk]

12. Pretty much what I was thinking

the fact that it was a nuke plant doesn't mean much, it's not like they are going to start a chain reaction or anything. The fact that bullets are leaving the gun range and going into areas that people frequent is the problem.

[lapfog_1]

16. No, it's not likely (ok, impossible) to explode from someone firing

at it. It's not even very likely that it would cause anything unsafe to happen.

However, an errant gunshot (rifle) could hit a pump, or even damage one of the many pipes that exist. Put a hole in a pipe? Probably not, but any damage, even a small nick, would have to be inspected. The pump could be taken out if the bullet hits the right part. In any case, parts of the plant would have to be turned off, possibly even to the point of shutting down one reactor. That's not a huge deal, except that it would cost a bundle to do it... start thinking $100s of thousands of dollars.

Makes for an expensive target range backstop.

Shooting someone's parked car and a couple of offices will cost enough already.

Not to mention that it's just stupid.

My dad always impressed upon me as a young lad JUST HOW FAR a rifle shot can go, should I miss what I was aiming at. And to always be aware of what might lay in the path of my shot should I miss. A lesson in gun safety for these guys.

[lpbk2713]

6. Waaalll gollleee.

[bushmeister0]

9. I was thinking more of F Troop.

You know, the opening when they raise the flag for taps and the cannon blows up the watch tower?

[peace13]

7. I think there were some very bad shots in attendance. n/t

[lapfog_1]

10. "The rounds cleared an almost 30-foot-high berm and flew about 3,400 feet before striking..."

Wow, those bullets had WINGS or something. Clearing a 30ft berm without being AIMED at a place over the berm.

It's a miracle!!!

[hedgehog]

11. Well, it is a practice range!

[GKirk]

17. Then apparently

that shooter needs alot more practice. :)

[TCJ70]

18. I was thinking the same thing...yikes...

[Massacure]

13. The fact that it is a nuclear power plant is irrelevant.

Regardless of what is next to that practice range, someone is bound to get killed sooner or later.

[RamboLiberal]

14. If this was a civilian range it would be a big stink

Gun clubs try to really be careful this doesn't happen else they are blasted all over the knews and neighbors fight to get the club shut down.

Those cops damn well better evaluate their range, their exercises and how their bullets went over a 30 foot berm.

[Redneck Socialist]

15. Poorly designed range or poorly planned/executed training exercises.

The nuke plant's irrelevant to the story. Whoever owns/runs the range needs to take a hard look at its design and the type of training going on there.