Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant on Lockdown
January 15th, 2010UPDATE: Hunters
Via: Connect Amarillo:
Two Pantex employees seen hunting near the plant Friday morning caused the nuclear weapons facility to be placed on lockdown.
Carson County Sheriff Tam Terry told Pronews 7 that someone called just after 7:30am Friday morning to report seeing two individuals with guns close to the plant.
Pantex activated its Emergency Response Organization to respond to the situation around 8:00am.
The Carson County Sheriff’s Department responded and found the men about 2 miles south of the plant.
The men told officers they had permission from the landowner to hunt on the property.
Terry said they confirmed the men were also employees of Pantex.
Pantex employees were never in any danger, and were sheltered-in-place during the response effort.
—End Update—
Via: KFDA:
Panhandle, TX — The Carson County Sheriff’s Department says Pantex is on lockdown.
They wouldn’t release anymore information except that they have a number of sheriff’s officers at the nuclear facility, and they are investigating.
NewsChannel 10 will keep you updated as information becomes available.
PANTEX NEWS RELEASE
Contact: (806) 345-6616 Release # 1 January 15, 2010 TIME 0900AM
Pantex Activates Emergency Response Organization
* The Pantex Plant has activated its Emergency Response Organization to respond to a potential security situation. The event occurred at approximately 8:00am.
* The Plant is in a lockdown status and the situation is being evaluated in order to facilitate security actions. Pantex employees are sheltered-in-place.
* Pantex’s response effort is being conducted by the Emergency Response Organization, a highly trained group of employees with detailed knowledge of plant operations and emergency response procedures. These employees represent plant functions such as security, logistics, safety, medical response, radiological assessment, firefighting, operations and public information.
* The emergency responders’ top priorities are the safety of the public, workers and the environment, as well as ensuring security is maintained.
* Pantex is also in the process of establishing communication links with various local, state and federal government agencies that will work with Pantex and communicate with the public during the response to this event.
Yep, security is very intense at Pantex. Its a no fly zone. Fly a plane over that place and you are pretty much fair game for a shootdown.
Good thing they didn’t shut the whole plant down and send everyone home – what would that cost? About a trillion charged to the US taxpayer?
God forbid anyone is caught running with scissors in hand.