A father's goodbye: 'Live well. I cannot be home for a while'

[Dennis Donovan]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/a-fathers-goodbye-live-well-i-cannot-be-home-for-a-while-2245411.html

"Please continue to live well. I cannot be home for a while." These words have come to encapsulate the struggle of the emerging heroes of Japan's nuclear crisis.

They were sent by email to the wife of one of the "Fukushima 50" – the middle and low-ranking operators, the technicians, soldiers and firefighters – who remain at the stricken power plant after all others have fled, exposed to dangerously high levels of radiation but fighting to stop it spreading further while haunted by the grim spectre of what may happen if they fail.

"They are running out of food... we think conditions are really tough. He says he's accepted his fate... much like a death sentence," the daughter of one of the workers wrote to a Japanese TV station.

But while the nation is in awe of their sacrifice, they do not know their names, with only the most sparing details available. And although they have become known as the "Fukushima 50", there are in fact about 200 workers rotating in and out of the most dangerous part of the plant 50 at a time, taking turns eating and sleeping in a decontaminated area.

Many of them volunteered for the task, labelled a suicide mission by some nuclear scientists, fully understanding the health risks involved, yet heading back to the heart of an expanding exclusion zone, from which at least 70,000 people have already been evacuated, and a further 140,000 told not to venture outside.

As they work to pump sea water on the dangerously exposed nuclear fuel rods, already thought to be partly melting and spewing radioactive material, 150 miles to the south, British, French, German and American nationals are in Tokyo boarding flights home on the advice of their governments.

Many workers at Fukushima, however, have to ignore any warnings to leave. It was the earthquake that first compromised the plant's reactors last Friday. While the workers tried to stabilise them, they knew a a tsunami was approaching. Thirty-one people have since been killed in the plant's various explosions.

<snip>

Radiation levels in an hour at Fukushima have been measured at several times over that which a typical nuclear facility worker might be expected to exposed to in an entire career. The government has raised the maximum legal exposure levels in order to allow the work to carry on.
</snip>

[secondwind]

1. I'm speechless. These men are true heroes. [And the Emperor sits in his Palace.]

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[roguevalley]

24. for the honor and well being of their people. history is filled with the

kind of valor that brings tears to your eyes. I would have a hard time losing a parent this way.

[bobbolink]

26. Forget the Emperor... what about the CEO and owners of the nuclear plants?

What about the stockholders that rake in the profits?

Why aren't THEY making "sacrifices"?

[Frisbee]

34. You don't think their stock has taken a huge hit?!

Jeez, how much more can they sacrifice? :sarcasm:

[bobbolink]

43. They are the "deciders", and need to take responsibiity for their decisions.

"Boots on the ground" means the PERSONS in corporations get to put their bodies on the line when they screw up!

[truedelphi]

47. Hi Bobbolink. Wouldn't you know it was the goons from the Bush Admin

Along with goons from GE that went over to the Fukushima Prefectuire back in 2006.

The citizens there had elected a mayor, Mr Sato, and it was widely believed that since public opinion and the top person (ie the mayor) all wanted to start the decommission process for the nuke plants in that district, that soon the nuke plants would be offline.

Instead the goon squad saw to it that Mr Sato got hit with bribery charges, and pulled from his office. Then a pro-nuke mayor was installed, the nuke plants kept on keeping on, and the rest is history.

[bobbolink]

48. Sometimes its hard to believe how rotten to the core this country is, and other times I just expect

it.

What amazes me is that these greedy ones don't seem to think that their greed will, indeed, blow back in their faces... their kids' faces, their grandkids' faces.........

[kestrel91316]

33. I wasn't aware that the emperor had training in running a nuclear power plant.

And YOU are sitting home all nice and comfy, too, I notice.

Unhelpful commentary, to say the least.

[ET Awful]

3. The Japanese are, and always have been, a very stoic people.

That resolve that these workers at the power plant are showing now is the same resolve that make the Japanese a dominant financial force in the world and it's the same resolve that made them such a military force in the past.

If you look at the history of Japan as a whole, this behavior is hardly surprising.

[xchrom]

4. recommend

[Wilms]

5. This is the second time I've read a reference to the workers having little food.

Easy for me to scratch my head from the comfort of my desk, but WTF?

[madmax]

6. At this level of exposure is there an

estimate of how much time they will have left of their lives. Will they be able to see their famiies - I mean get close to them, be in the same room. What happens to them when it's over and they can leave?

:cry:

[Sirveri]

16. They'll be decontaminated and released.

Most of them (though not all) will probably get some sort of cancer, and most of them (though not all) will also likely develop some form of radiation poisoning up to and including death.

But once decontaminated they will emit just as much radiation as everyone else.

[madmax]

23. Thank you - at least they will

be able to be with their families.

[Jester Messiah]

7. Dammit, who's chopping onions in here...?

Seriously, just the headline had me blinking. :-(

[Matariki]

8. Why are they running out of food??!

Surely food can be delivered by some means???

[Lynx]

9. As Humans

All of humanity owes a tremendous debt to the Fukushima 50. Someone please give them lots of food, blankets, whatever!

[JuniperLea]

10. Couldn't they send in robots?

They have the technology!! Why can't they send in robots with supplies? Hell, a little remote control car? Anything?

Jesus God... this world is ridiculous.

[hifiguy]

18. High levels of radiation fry electronics

including the control mechanisms in robots, unless they are hardened against radiation.

This is an incredibly sad story.

[Lucinda]

11. ...

knr

[southernyankeebelle]

12. Let's hope their families will be well taken care of. This is the least they can do for their

families.

[madmax]

25. Yes, and let's hope the help is more forthcoming than we

provided for those of 9/11. Had Jon Stewart not shamed the US Congress into doing the right thing, they'd still be waiting.

[Uncle Joe]

13. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Dennis Donovan.

[2banon]

14. this is such a tragedy

This is going to have a major impact on that region forever. The lives and livelyhood of the families will be negatively impacted for generations to come and the environment will be a dead zone forever.

This is the lesson from these events, and it has to be driven home here when we hear any political figure or pundit beating the drums for expanding nuclear power plants here.


I was listening to Charlie Rose last night, and there was spokesperson in favor of nuclear power plant expansion. Dismissed out of hand the event that occured in Japan as insignivicant, dismissed concerns as to waste materials being of any significant concern. Said all the waste can fit inside of small room.

Charlie Rose didn't question his assertions.

I was just stunned.

[cate94]

15. K & R

Each one of the 200 is a hero. I hope the country takes care of their families.

[colorado_ufo]

17. It is extremely important to find some way to care for these heroes

from both a humanitarian and practical view. It would be unforgiveable for them to starve or freeze, and they are the only ones standing between the world and disaster.

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. It's more important to them that their families and community are taken care of. n/t

[marew]

19. This truly breaks my heart. n/t

[Melissa G]

20. Wow! just Wow..

Prayers for these brave souls and love to their families. :grouphug:
:cry:

[Tumbulu]

22. Thank you Fukishima 200 (nt)

[Cetacea]

27. K&R n/t

[Plaid Adder]

28. I just cannot believe all this is happening.

It does not surprise me, actually, that these workers are sacrificing their health and, most likely, their lives in order to try to get the situation under control. We see the bad side of human nature come out in situations like this but we also see the good side. It just breaks my heart to think of what is going to happen to them, and of what their families and loved ones must be going through. And on some level, I just can't believe all this is really happening. I just...did you ever think you'd live to see Japan's *second* nuclear catastrophe? I never did. WHY does the 21st century just keep figuring out newly horrible ways of surprising us?

don't answer that,

The Plaid Adder

[niyad]

30. thank you for pointing that out, plaid.

[BillyJack]

32. Great post AND great sig line!

For those who can't read the sig line, it is:

"The President is very much a figurehead...the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely tuned outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it."--Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

[Plaid Adder]

44. I picked the sig line when W was president.

I thought about changing it after Obama got elected but never got around to it. But I kind of feel now like what it says is more or less accurate, regardless of who's holding the office.

The Plaid Adder

[HCE SuiGeneris]

40. You are able to so eloquently put into words

thoughts that traverse my mind.

Many thanks for all of your contributions. Plaid Adder, you are the
sh*t.

And, please keep Japan and the world from suffering any more calamities.


** Edit to put a very important "the" in there.

[gateley]

29. Humbly and respectfully K&R. I stand in awe. nt

[niyad]

31. what a horrible way to be reminded that so many are capable of almost unimaginable heroism

[Frisbee]

35. When a situation like this arises, I always have to ask...

what would I do if I were in their position? I honestly don't know. I like to think I'd rise to the occasion, but can't say I would, and truth be told, sometimes have my doubts. And I am single, how many times harder must the decision be for someone with a husband or wife and children to worry about. Or maybe those husbands, wives and children are exactly why they are willing to make such a sacrifice. What ever their reason, these are true heroes, not someone who is famous for a talent (acting, throwing a curve ball, or being a great orator), but someone who is willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others. As an atheist, I rarely say God bless, but in a situation like this, I'm not sure what else to say, God bless them.

[Rhiannon12866]

37. +100

Very well said. :thumbsup: ;(

[PADemD]

41. John 15:13 (King James Version)

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

[Obamanaut]

45. Now, that was a good post. nt

[Rhiannon12866]

36. K&R. It doesn't get sadder than this...

;(

[horseshoecrab]

38. A tragedy within a tragedy

This is so completely humbling. Who among us could do this?

Tears well up at the mere thought.


horseshoecrab

[HCE SuiGeneris]

39. They are heroes.

Whether of their own bequest, or not.

[Hannah Bell]

42. kr

[sam sarrha]

46. yea.. the Corportists/politicians said they were safe, it is ALWAYS safe when others do the dying.!!

So the profiteers can get richer than anyone needs to be.

[Lynx]

49. There must be a way

There must be a way to get needed supplies to them: food, coats, meds, Nobel Prize.