Somebody hasn’t been telling the truth!! Hmmm This article is from the ArmyTimes.com I am so glad to see General McHale at the helm! The top-Notch Master Electrician’s mentioned in this article are the ones that are part of the inspection team known as “Task Force Safe”. Click HERE to see that post.
Electrical review turns up 3,700 fires
Posted : Saturday Sep 27, 2008 7:24:21 EDT
The ongoing Central Command review of electrical malfunctions that have killed at least seven troops and a contractor at U.S.-occupied buildings in Iraq has uncovered more than 3,700 fires at those facilities from May 2007 to August 2008.
The total dwarfs the 483 fires at contractor-maintained facilities reported to Congress at a July 30 hearing, which the command’s 15-member Task Force for Safety Actions for Fire and Electricity now says was the five-month figure for one region, not all of Iraq.
But not all of the 3,726 fires reported were a result of electrical malfunctions, the task force says. Only about 820 were definitively characterized as electrical fires, with about 275 of those resulting from “fluorescent light ballast” malfunctions. The causes of the vast majority of the fires were “undetermined.”
On average, 4.2 fires per day have taken place over the past five weeks at U.S. facilities in Iraq, the task force said. These ranged from power strip flare-ups to full-blown fires, Maj. Gen. Tim McHale, who leads the task force, said in a Sept. 15 telephone interview.
Most, but not all, of the 86,000 U.S.-occupied buildings in Iraq are managed by KBR Inc., McHale said. KBR and Army Contracting Command came under fire in that July hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, whose members were particularly incensed over what is now re¬ported as 18 deaths — an increase of two from earlier reports — because of inadvertent electrocutions, most of them involving U.S. troops, recorded in Iraq since 2003.
Ten of the deaths, however, were not a result of poor electrical work but occurred when four Marines, four soldiers, one sailor and one third-country national Army contractor came into contact with live power lines, according to the task force.
The other deaths, however, apparently were accidental electrocutions while working with power equipment and in two instances, most disturbing to the committee, while taking showers. A Marine, six soldiers and a Navy contractor were killed.
Two of the deaths that of the Army contractor and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, a Green Beret who died Jan. 2 while taking a shower at the Radwaniyah Palace Complex in Baghdad remain under investigation, the task force said.
Government testimony cited a lack of skilled or trained personnel to perform contractor oversight.
McHale said that and other problems are being fixed.
He said the task force is assessing the probability of electrical hazards at the tens of thousands of U.S. facilities in Iraq. None have been placed off limits, but commanders can decide whether to move troops to safer facilities or have a given facility repaired. Meanwhile, inspectors are working first where the risk is greatest, McHale said.
“We are still wrapping our arms around this,” he said. “It’s going to take us several months to work our way through it.”
All of those facilities are tracked on multiple databases. McHale wants to create a joint database to make easier the process of tracking and repairing problems.
The task force also is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to contract with “top-notch” master electricians and fire inspectors and get them to Iraq over the next several weeks to bolster the ongoing facilities review.
Despite that level of expertise, they’ll be pre-tested in the U.S. and run through a seven-day training course in Iraq for certification — something all potential contractors will have to pass, McHale said.
Those efforts are part of a three-pronged plan of attack that McHale said includes:
• A safety awareness campaign.
• Development of new plans, policies and standards that include incident reporting and closing the loop on such reports, and creating a uniform electrical code for U.S. facilities in Iraq, as ordered by former Multi-National Force-Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus.
• Establishment of the training standards.
“We ask our service members to risk their lives every day combating terrorism,” McHale said. “We must ensure they’re as safe as possible when they return from their missions.”
I just heard that the great almighty Joe Tedesco is coming over to set all us loser electricians straight. I also heard he is getting paid 5-6 times the 87K what I am getting paid. Here’s the problem. He’s working for KBR. He’s a puppet. A prop. Here’s what I heard. He’s going to pre-inspect before the real inspections so he can argue the findings. I’ve been here three years. I don’t need some Stateside puke coming over hear and telling me I been doing it wrong when I’ve been doing it exactly how KBR told me to do it. If he comes over hear with that Messiah complex he will have a problem. The best thing that every happened to Iraq and KBR electricians is the Corp’s inspectors. Can’t wait to see them.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Well I guess the cat is out of the bag and the word is already out in Iraq. I just love the internet. I will be posting about this soon. Yes…last I heard Joe Tedesco turned down a great job for Stanley Consultants (SBH) and is going to Iraq for KBR. As far as wages go some of the Forums are commenting $500-600K/year. Hmmmm that’s a tidy sum in comparison to what the electricians are getting.
He could have done so much good for SBH and Task Force Safe. But he chose to go to the “dark side”. KBR doesn’t do anything for the greater good, or they would have already!! They’ve been there five years. People have been dying for five years. There has to be a $dollar$ sign attached to this somewhere.
Doug
I am not sure that you have the correct information and wonder why you are upset. You work for KBR? Where did you hear that I will be paid so much ?
Better we should talk send me your number.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Even though KBR likes secrets, there are no secrets in Iraq. Besides they go to the same electrical forums that electricians in the States go to. They’re reading it. People are talking about it. I’ve already received several emails about it. This is my first comment.
He’s not going to reveal himself to you. He could loose his job.
I don’t know why I have to be the last to know. It seems as though that I was duped when contacted by Joe Tedesco. All that about wanting to join my team for SBH.
The thread that I began on ElectricianTalk.com ended because of him. How very disappointing.
Now he is to rebuke our findings when we inspect?
To what end, Joe?
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Yep….duped is kind of how I’m feeling too.
A simple Google search will reveal that Joe Tedesco has caused alot of problems for others in this industry on the internet:
http://www.theelectricalguru.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1221822866
http://www.terrylove.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-13681.html
http://www.nachi.org/forum/f19/ok-im-done-tedesco-32661/
I’m sorry Debbie if these links are inappropriate. They clearly show the character of Mr. Tedesco.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
I’ve already seen these. Just stay focused on the goal. Great irrefutable inspections. Don’t get sucked too far into the crazy crap. That’s my job. You get ready to go to Iraq. I’ve already been contacted by a major news organization about KBR’s agenda here. We’ll see what they have to say tomorrow. Don’t you just love the internet.
Not meaning to go off track of what is important here, and there is no losing sight of what we’re about to do and why. But when we’re confronted by the expected opposition, that’s one thing when tied to by some politically motivated argument(s) (in which we shouldn’t answer to). On the other hand, we become faced with such a strong sense of betrayal when someone chances a ruined reputation to collaborate with the enemy for monetary gain i.e Jane Fonda, the dream-team attorneys that defended O.J. among others. Some only want the notoriety and in their minds the fame – even if diabolical, but what is worse – is when for the money. Just as bad as when some inspectors took payment to look past the inferior engineering materials of some construction projects. When being bribed is acceptable for a cause in your own mind, it becomes easier to lose yourself in grandeur. Attorneys that defend an obvious murderer have to do their best to defend – or they lose their license. It should also be so for the contractor – may it be the general that runs with the money instead of paying his subs, or an authority on electrical code advancement teacher that wrongfully takes the steps towards opposition of a good cause.
May we all know the righteous and remember the evil.
Ms Spaky’s Response:
Wait for it……wait for it……be patient. The truth will prevail. Stay focused. Don’t be distracted by all the background noise. Just like the stock market crash today (ouch) they have a lot to loose because of the way they do business. Don’t get sucked in.
Thanks for writing this.
Ms Sparky’s Response:
Thank you for reading this!!