GRENADE MISHAP KILLS TWO CHILDREN Published March 23, 2007 By Thomas Todd 56th Fighter Wing weapons safety manager LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- A recent mishap in Bakersfield, Calif., resulting in the death of two children, and the injury of several more, made me wonder, "Is it just a matter of time before an improperly handled explosive souvenir causes a similar tragedy here in the Valley?" The root cause of most explosive mishaps remains human error. I knew the lesson of this mishap needed to reach beyond the normal explosive safety audience. In this mishap an individual kept a 40mm grenade round as a conversation piece for many years believing it had been rendered inert. After all, the individual reasoned, if the primer and powder were removed from the shell casing it must be safe. However with only a basic knowledge of explosives, or as I like to refer to it as a movie knowledge, the individual failed to fully comprehend how the round was designed to function. The projectile was live. No one knows the history of this round; perhaps it was a dud someone picked up on a range or battlefield. That would make it even more dangerous because if fired, the internal fuse was likely armed. No one knows for sure, but in the end, it became functional and killed two children who were playing with it. Display rounds, usually 20mm rounds, should have the primer fired, gun powder expended, and an expert verify the projectile is inert. Avoid assuming that an expended munition or projectile lying in the desert is safe to take home and place on display. Having worked in the explosives field for more than 25 years, the latter six as a wing weapons safety manager, I've investigated many explosive mishaps, and read the reports and findings of many more. By failing to follow established procedures, not being vigilant or well trained, and losing situational awareness, handling explosives can result in death. The parents of two children know this all too well.