Heroic Workers at the Daiichi Power Plant in Japan Race Against Time

The 180 workers at the Daiichi nuclear power plant are diligently and heroically working to prevent a nuclear disaster. Radioactive smoke is spewing from the nuclear reactors and these workers are trying to prevent a full meltdown at the plant that could throw thousands of radioactive dust high into the air, which can imperil the lives of those living in Japan as well as the 7 billion people in the world.  They are trying to cool dangerously exposed nuclear fuel that is already partially melting and spewing radioactive material in order to prevent a full meltdown. Helicopters have been sent to the area to spray water and fuelents that will hopefully cool the reactors and end the fire. The workers are currently being exposed to five times the maximum exposure of radiation permitted for nuclear plant workers. The site is now so contaminated with radiation that it has become difficult for employees to work near the reactors for extended periods of time. One worker can only work for minutes at a time before passing off the job to the next worker. They are currently working in the dark with only flashlights to guide them through a maze of equipment in order to fix the nuclear reactors, while carrying oxygen tanks on their backs. They are also struggling to keep hundreds of gallons of seawater flowing per minute through temporary fire pumps into 3 stricken reactors. One of the containment vessels surrounding one of the reactors may have ruptured. According to the Tokyo Electrical Power Company these workers have suffered greatly. 5 of the plant workers have died since the earthquake. 22 have been injured. One worker was hospitalized after suddenly grasping his chest and finding himself unable to stand. Another worker needed treatment after receiving a blast of radiation near a damaged reactor. 11 workers were injured in a hydrogen explosion at the thrid reactor. These employees are loyal and extremely dedicated to their jobs. The nuclear reactor operators say that their profession is typified by the same kind of esprit de corps found among firefighters and the military. The Japanese are raised to believe that indivduals sacrifice for the good of the group. These 180 workers at the Daiichi nuclear power plant are 100% heroes. Hopefully more global help will come in order to end this nuclear disaster and to prevent it from becoming worse. According to msnbc.com, a low concentration of radioactive particles will reach California on Friday March 18 and will spread eastward over the United States and then over the Atlantic Ocean and into Europe in the coming days.