CO Leak

Geez Jdog, wondering where you have been. So let me ask you this. If this had happened on Greene's watch would be calling for his head? If not why and would he have been able to ***** up a storm loud enough to make changes. Oh yeah, he tried to do that and got "reassigned". Do I have that right? I want to see a butt kicking ( also an action team now doing something) so hard we see O'bama flinch during a press conference. The whole dog and pony show of Matsuda spending a few hours at KP really does nothing for me either except to show he has heard there was an issue. Unless they put out an Antonelli picture of Matsuda carrying in a vary large box of co monitors and batteries for the smoke detectors which I am sure the probably need as well I am not moved by the gesture. Seriously, does it require an act of congress to for someone to plug in a bunch of monitors! Obviously the problem is much deeper but it is a start and the optics more appealing than Matsuda having a sleepover. And why wasn't MARAD mentioned in the overlapping wasteful
agencies ( or agencies not working properly) speech yesterday? I thought maybe the timing of this near disaster would shine a light on the need for leadership and fully expected it to be mentioned with NOAA. Seems like a fit to me.
So in light of all this, is there a movement afoot to bring Greene back? Wouldn't you just love to hear what he has to say about this anyway?
Okay all, fire away.
 
As was said by others earlier in these posts- Mr. Matsuda is a political appointee and is the ultimate political animal. His agenda is his own and his interests are his own, not those of the mids at Kings Point or even those in the maritime industry. One can't help but wonder how big his political ambitions are? He has shown his true colors since taking this position by side-stepping issues and strangling the finest leader KP has seen in years with his bureaucratic BS and his continuing politico speak. His overnight visit to sleep in 3rd co is nothing more than a political stunt. Let's face it- this guy is an incompetent sham and one can only hope if there is a change in administration in 2013, there will be a management change in DOT and MARAD that will support the Academy and the industry. General industry impressions of him are poor at best and he has been an issue for the unions, corporations and industry on a whole. Sadly this is an issue with what could have had grave consequences, thankfully not, but an overnight in the barracks by some DC bureaucrat isn't going to fix it.
 
Even if there isn't a change in administration didn't he say he was moving on? Now, what about Greene? Sounds like he would have been a better fit in that post.
 
LaHood has announced his resignation effective the end of the first term however, not sure about Matsuda but his departure can't come soon enough. Ideally the sup as well as the maritime administrator would be someone with an industry background, preferably licensed, academy grad, basically, a candidate with credentials like Adm. Greene. They don't get any better then Phil Greene and his departure was a travesty on so many fronts. It would be wonderful to get him back although highly unlikely. We can dream can't we???????????
 
Meeting notes

I read the notes from a meeting between KP, Marad, and DOT held last week on the incident. Barry Hall was renovated about 2003 by NAVFAC of the US Navy and a new alarm system was installed that did not have CO detectors. They are required by NY state law but the Navy is exempt because it is federal and is not required to follow state laws. They supposedly even installed the new ventilation system right next to the gas water heater.

The KP staff around 2003 apparently requested the detectors but were denied by the Navy. Current KP maintenance staff are so depleted by years of no hiring that they can barely keep the lights on much less correct Navy errors in the four dormitories they renovated. Matsuda may be the current boss but this goes back to years of neglect and misaligned priorities by successive superintendents, administrators, and secretaries. Our sons and daughters face years of risk as all these issues are addressed.
 
The "Navy" didn't reject the CO detector request - some PERSON at the Navy rejected the request. We need to find out who that person was.

Also, have an subsequent requests been made for CO detectors? When was the last time someone thought about CO detectors?
 
The KP staff around 2003 apparently requested the detectors but were denied by the Navy.

Why would the Navy have anything to do with it? Even if NAVFAC did the construction the request for something like this would go through facilities to MARAD? No?
 
Apparently Mr. Matsuda attempted to "spend the night" in Co. 3 but somehow, in the middle of the night, decided that his flight was "leaving early" and he left campus around 2 or 3 AM. Ummmmmm... parents are saying "wimp".
Also- last I've heard, all heat in Co. 3 has been restored. CO 2 detectors in all companys have been installed. It's back to normal.
 
How about HOT water.

Not completely. DS says he's still not getting a hot shower.
 
....
Also- last I've heard, all heat in Co. 3 has been restored. CO 2 detectors in all companys have been installed. It's back to normal.

Yep, it's back to normal and that's EXACTLY the problem. "Normal" is an incompetent maintenance staff, led by an incompetent MARAD Administrator at the top of the chain.

The issue was caused by a maintenance staff that improperly installed the ductwork, that led to negatively pressured buildings and that's why the midshipmen in Barry Hall were and are lucky to be alive this morning. This is the same maintenance staff led by a facilities leadership that has known for years there were no CO monitors in the dorms, despite the fact that NY State Laws say there should have been. From my perspective, no matter what happened back when these buildings were renovated there really is no reason something wasn't done sooner. As you can see from the contents of this thread and the numerous acronyms involved in the finger pointing and assessments of who, why, and how. This is exactly the bureaucratic two-step I was alluding to and afraid of when I heard the Administrator had spent the night there. I don't care whether he left early. That doesn't matter. Now there's a $30 consumer grade CO detector in my son's room, as there are in the rooms of other sons and daughters. That's a start but just a start and not much of one. Do you really think if the maintenance staff wasn't competent in their installation of one duct it was a single anomaly? I hope it was, but what is being done to check ann ensure that all the buildings on campus are properly ducted and pressurized? What is the schedule to make sure that happens and what are the other measures being taken to make sure all personnel, especially, "the precious cargo" at USMMA, it's Regiment of Midshipmen are properly cared for and safe, every minute of every day.

This incident, where a bullet was clearly dodged, needs to be a tremendous wake-up call. The days of an incompetent maintenance staff whining about the work they now have to do to put in place CO detectors while the Midshipmen were actually poisoned and could have died; or a galley staff not making sure that at least once annually large groups of the Regiment of Midshipmen get food poisoning must come to an end now. The days of an incompetent MARAD legal staff meddling in the operations of the USMMA and coming up with reasons why things like receiving and accepting gifts or charging for attendance at NCAA Division III football games cannot be done, while at every other Federal Service Academy they are done, need to come to an end as well. Many, many of the issues are tied to funding issues but these excuses and obstacles need to be flattened. I could go on but I believe I would be preaching to the choir so I will not do so. I will just restate the obvious.

Normal can no longer be good enough. At least 40 of us sets of parents are fortunate this morning to still have sons and daughters at the Academy and on their way towards graduation and bright futures as part of our Nation's best and brightest. This MUST be as the President who appointed Administrator Matsuda says "a teachable moment". In other words a wake up call and a catalyst for rapid change for the better.

I have nothing further to add to this thread so will likely comment no further on it. I also know this is just "one man's opinion", my feelings here do not mean that as a supportive and active alumni, as well as a parent, I am wavering in my support of the USMMA, I am not and will not. That said, I also think the time has come to be less of "cheerleader" and more of an involved contributor to the positive changes that absolutely need to occur to move the institution forward towards what it should and can be - the world's foremost center for Maritime Education and Higher Learning, that's why I hope we don't "return to normal" ever again.
 
Well said- Jasperdog. Thank you. And yes while these issues may be long standing, we do have a Maritime Administrator, incompetent as he may be, that is aware of the issues and responsible to see that things are remedied and improved. I'm with you, the MARAD legal eagles need to get out of the way and let things move forward in every avenue from donations to gifts to football tickets etc, etc, etc,. and if the illustrious Mr. Matsuda doesn't see fit to step up, perhaps it's time for all of us to band together and demand his resignation or shall we say 'reassignment". The biggest question remains who will be willing to take on the ultimate role of leadership at KP??? Thank goodness these kids are all OK and shame on MARAD! Enough said.
 
my bad

Luigi59, my bad! I've said CO2 detectors over and over these past weeks.. omg, my bad! whoops! (hated Chemistry, can you tell? LOL)
and the last I heard is that they did put CO detectors in all the barracks, but then took many of them out? I don't understand.
I'm traveling to KP this weekend and hopefully learn what is true and what is hype.

CO2 is carbon dioxide.

Make sure you get him a CO detector. :wink:
 
DS told me (on Sunday) that they did hard-wire CO monitors into the lower levels of all of the barracks as was mentioned in the Alumni letter (I think). In addition he said that all individual rooms were given plug-in monitors last Friday - that all of the M/N were required to have plugged into their walls by today.
 
WisconsinMMAMama2015 thanks for the info. See you at the next Boodle Party before the next exams?
 
I read the notes from a meeting between KP, Marad, and DOT held last week on the incident. Barry Hall was renovated about 2003 by NAVFAC of the US Navy and a new alarm system was installed that did not have CO detectors. They are required by NY state law but the Navy is exempt because it is federal and is not required to follow state laws. They supposedly even installed the new ventilation system right next to the gas water heater.

The KP staff around 2003 apparently requested the detectors but were denied by the Navy. Current KP maintenance staff are so depleted by years of no hiring that they can barely keep the lights on much less correct Navy errors in the four dormitories they renovated. Matsuda may be the current boss but this goes back to years of neglect and misaligned priorities by successive superintendents, administrators, and secretaries. Our sons and daughters face years of risk as all these issues are addressed.


The "Navy" didn't reject the CO detector request - some PERSON at the Navy rejected the request. We need to find out who that person was.

You are chasing the wrong culprit. Both the Army Corps of Engineers and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command sometimes administer contracts for other federal agencies that do not have the manpower or expertise to do so. This is most likely what happened here. The key word here is "administer". The Navy did not know the scope of requirements and would only became involved after the requirements were identified. Once the RFP is finalized, only a change order can change the scope. I am most positive that if the lack of CO monitors was discovered during the construction process, it was the MMA's refusal to pay for the extra work that caused the lack of installation.
 
For the record-

Both 3rd Company and 4th Company have yet to receive hot water. Mids are walking over to O'Hara Hall to take showers.

-A disgruntled and cold midshipmen.
 
Update?

For the record-

Both 3rd Company and 4th Company have yet to receive hot water. Mids are walking over to O'Hara Hall to take showers.

-A disgruntled and cold midshipmen.

So what is the official word they have told you about when it will be back in service?
 
We yet to receive "Official information", or for that matter.....
any information.

-A midshipmen who enjoys walking through snow in a bathrobe.
 
This is totally unacceptable ...

MARAD needs to be held accountable and taken to task.

First ~40 mids lives endangered by negligent actions by those whose jobs it was to make sure all the boiler repairs and changes were done properly do not do so and we are lucky they were not killed by CO in the barracks.

Now here we are over a week later and hot water isn't available in two barracks and over 200 midshipmen are not being provided hot water for showers. One would generally consider that the basic necessities of life. You know the sort of basic accommodations one might have been led to believe one would receive in exchange for the "contract" you were required to sign and agree to when you were sworn in on acceptance day during one's plebe year.

Of course if the responsible Governmental organization, in this case MARAD, were run by a competent Administrator I wouldn't suggest this but since it's run by a political animal who only seems to listen to and follow the advice of his in house legal counsel maybe a petition for the right to sue the US Government as part of a class action lawsuit would be the way to get him off top dead center and fix some of this stuff.
 
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