the trans-alaska pipeline runs for more than half its length exposed above the
than half its length exposed above the
than half its length exposed above the ground it’s vulnerable to attack
ground it’s vulnerable to attack
ground it’s vulnerable to attack dozens have tried and only succeeded in
dozens have tried and only succeeded in
dozens have tried and only succeeded in denting it then in 2001 a drunk hunter
denting it then in 2001 a drunk hunter
denting it then in 2001 a drunk hunter with a big-game rifle had a bit more
with a big-game rifle had a bit more
with a big-game rifle had a bit more success 250,000 gallons spewed from the
success 250,000 gallons spewed from the
success 250,000 gallons spewed from the pressurized pipe it took salvage crews
pressurized pipe it took salvage crews
pressurized pipe it took salvage crews 36 hours straight to plug the leak and
36 hours straight to plug the leak and
36 hours straight to plug the leak and years to clean up the mess
the pipeline’s emergency spill
the pipeline’s emergency spill responders are based in Fairbanks Alaska
responders are based in Fairbanks Alaska
responders are based in Fairbanks Alaska I dropped in to meet the men who take
I dropped in to meet the men who take
I dropped in to meet the men who take the call and no one wants to get after
the call and no one wants to get after
the call and no one wants to get after the 2001 sabotage Frank Dunkley helped
the 2001 sabotage Frank Dunkley helped
the 2001 sabotage Frank Dunkley helped design this 1,800 pound clamp that can
design this 1,800 pound clamp that can
design this 1,800 pound clamp that can quickly see a holes in the pipe
quickly see a holes in the pipe
quickly see a holes in the pipe the operators got to get the hole right
the operators got to get the hole right
the operators got to get the hole right inside here the operator has to get that
inside here the operator has to get that
inside here the operator has to get that over the hole okay but it’s pretty easy
over the hole okay but it’s pretty easy
over the hole okay but it’s pretty easy for him to find that because it tends to
for him to find that because it tends to
for him to find that because it tends to be spraying out Frank’s going to put me
be spraying out Frank’s going to put me
be spraying out Frank’s going to put me through a full practice drill training
through a full practice drill training
through a full practice drill training designed to prepare me for toxic
designed to prepare me for toxic
designed to prepare me for toxic flammable crude leaking from the pipe
his colleague Bruce Kenyon helps me into
his colleague Bruce Kenyon helps me into a fireproof suit I’m ready to suit up so
a fireproof suit I’m ready to suit up so
a fireproof suit I’m ready to suit up so what is the suit I’m putting on this is
what is the suit I’m putting on this is
what is the suit I’m putting on this is an approach suit to help protect the
an approach suit to help protect the
an approach suit to help protect the guys from being bird so if he had a hole
guys from being bird so if he had a hole
guys from being bird so if he had a hole in the pipe give atomized flammable
in the pipe give atomized flammable
in the pipe give atomized flammable liquid and gas you basically made a
liquid and gas you basically made a
liquid and gas you basically made a giant blowtorch pretty much yes exactly
giant blowtorch pretty much yes exactly
giant blowtorch pretty much yes exactly and that would be bad for us I’m
and that would be bad for us I’m
and that would be bad for us I’m essentially sealing myself inside a
essentially sealing myself inside a
essentially sealing myself inside a reflective airtight bag yeah this thing
reflective airtight bag yeah this thing
reflective airtight bag yeah this thing is heavy and it’s hot a feeling so far I
is heavy and it’s hot a feeling so far I
is heavy and it’s hot a feeling so far I feel like I’m ready to gotta microwave
feel like I’m ready to gotta microwave
feel like I’m ready to gotta microwave now let’s see what it’s like to work in
now let’s see what it’s like to work in
now let’s see what it’s like to work in it
I’m going to be the ground man here to
I’m going to be the ground man here to help Zack Brady line up the clamp over a
help Zack Brady line up the clamp over a
help Zack Brady line up the clamp over a hole in the pipe and then I’m straight
hole in the pipe and then I’m straight
hole in the pipe and then I’m straight up and down
up and down
up and down what do you mean straight up and down
what do you mean straight up and down
what do you mean straight up and down you mean particular to the pipe
this is just water we don’t want to
this is just water we don’t want to pollute this lot with crew
pollute this lot with crew
pollute this lot with crew and the pressure is only 1/8 of what’s
and the pressure is only 1/8 of what’s
and the pressure is only 1/8 of what’s actually inside the pipeline
actually inside the pipeline
actually inside the pipeline already the temperature inside my suit
already the temperature inside my suit
already the temperature inside my suit is over a hundred degrees it must be
is over a hundred degrees it must be
is over a hundred degrees it must be terrifying facing down a real fire on an
terrifying facing down a real fire on an
terrifying facing down a real fire on an actual spill
away from yourself or man the veil with
away from yourself or man the veil with the baby eight inches
Zach and I managed to seal the breach in
Zach and I managed to seal the breach in just a few minutes
just a few minutes
just a few minutes oh really hope we do not have a hole in
oh really hope we do not have a hole in
oh really hope we do not have a hole in the pipe because I don’t ever want to
the pipe because I don’t ever want to
the pipe because I don’t ever want to get back into this suit again
”
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