AP IMPACT: For troops in Iraq, shower may be fatal

[Ghost in the Machine]

AP IMPACT: For troops in Iraq, shower may be fatal
Published: 3/26/09, 3:25 AM EDT
By KIMBERLY HEFLING

WASHINGTON (AP) - The military is racing to inspect more than 90,000 U.S.-run facilities across Iraq to reduce a deadly threat troops face far off the battlefield: electrocution or shock while showering or using appliances.

About one-third of the inspections so far have turned up major electrical problems, according to interviews and an internal military document obtained by The Associated Press. Half of the problems they found have since been fixed but about 65,000 facilities still need to be inspected, which could take the rest of this year. Senior Pentagon officials were on Capitol Hill this week for briefings on the findings.

The work assigned to Task Force SAFE, which oversees the inspections and repairs, is aimed at preventing deaths like that of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, 24, of Pittsburgh. He died in January 2008, one of at least three soldiers killed while showering since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Scores more soldiers suffered shocks between September 2006 and July 2008, according to a database maintained by KBR Inc., the Houston-based contractor that oversees maintenance at most U.S. facilities in Iraq.


"We got a ton of buildings we know probably aren't safe and we just don't have them done yet," said Jim Childs, an electrician the task force hired to help with the inspections. "It's Russian roulette. I cringe every time I hear of a shock."

http://my.att.net/s/editorial.dll?bfromind=8388&eeid=6471167&_sitecat=1504&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=2&ck=&ch=ne

[aquart]

1. "Racing"???? Are they tortoises?

[nc4bo]

2. "KBR is not responsible".

KBR/Halliburton's involvement should be as well known as the salmonella tainted peanut butter and PCA.

The majority of average Americans can tell you all about salmonella/PCA but haven't a clue about KBR/Halliburton or even the KBR/Halliburton/Cheney connection.

One more reason why it's so important to investigate and prosecute the previous Administration. Much will be learned if and when the Justice Dept. begins to investigate.

[Ghost in the Machine]

3. kick....