Coke

[Guest guest]

If anyone would like to ask the author of this story anything

about it, I will happily forward your questions to him. I am

forwarding it with his permission. Deborah :-)

 

 

When I was driving for a large package delivery company, I was a

volunteer HazMat (Hazardous Material) responder. Our training was

rudimentary, because most superbad stuff (e.g., nuclear,

biohazard, most explosives) is prohibited from shipping in the

system; still, we did have to be able to deal with basic spills

of acids, corrosives, solvents, and petroleum products.

 

One favorite training exercise involved Coca Cola; a few ounces

would be spilled on the floor somewhere in the facility, and the

newbie responder would be told of an 'unidentified spill'. He or

she would go get the spill cart, suit up with nitrile gloves,

overboots, and apron, plus goggles, then block off the area with

cones. The spill would be tested with PH tape, and would

*instantly* turn dark red, indicating a *powerful* corrosive, and

putting the necessary Fear of Permanent Eye Damage into the new

recruit.

 

Once the cleanup was complete, but before going through all the

'bag and tag' paperwork (disposal services don't come cheaply,

and drum space is finite), the responder would be informed of the

actual substance of the spill. The reaction was always the same:

'... and I've been *drinking* that?!?'