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Note to reader:
The
following article details an incident where someone was
seriously injured at the range. We understand that
the range does have an impeccable safety record (as far
as we know) and that this is indeed an isolated
incident. The significance of this article though,
is that many range supporters (particularly John
Cushman) have insisted that there has NEVER been an
accident at this range but this story clearly denies
that.
The
incident and the obvious attempt to cover it up speaks
to the overarching policies of those who support this
facility in that many things have been covered up and
many issues and doings at this facility have been
distorted, misrepresented, denied or fabricated all in
the interests of making this facility appear as if it
were nothing but a boon to mankind. This
obfuscation is testament to the "keep it open at all
costs" attitude displayed by the range supporters and
their unwillingness to see any other side of a story
other than their own. It is this stubbornness and
relentless inflexibility which is the primary reason why
there is such animosity surrounding the range's
existence.
We know
of many other things which have been "hushed up" and we
will make them known as the situation dictates. It
seems silly to have to resort to such tactics but we're
left with no choice because of the pig-headedness and
inability to see truth demonstrated by "the other side".
County Skeet Range Will Stay Open ~ Owner
Sites Excellent Safety Record
Suffolk
Life - January 17 2001
Barbara LaMonica
A
popular trap and skeet range in the Town of Brookhaven
will remain open, despite one resident’s plea for the
facility to be shut down. The Suffolk County Trap and
Skeet Range in Yaphank was the scene of an accident
involving an employee who was hit when a shot allegedly
hit the tower and penetrated his skull. Frederic J. Grau,
now 22, was working at the tower releasing targets when
he was struck on August 13, 1995. According to Grau's
mother, Janet, the range management did not call police
or medics. When he was shot, they never called the
police department or ambulance, they called me and told
me there was an accident and to pick him up, Grau said.
They couldn't tell us who shot the gun because they
didn't keep records, so by the time we took him to the
hospital, the shooters left and couldn't be identified.
When
the buckshot hit between his eyes and went into his
skull, thank God it went inside the eye socket, Grau
said. It just missed his left eye. The lead buckshot
lodged in the mid forehead and right lateral canthus
region, according to doctor reports, and were surgically
removed from Grau,s skull at John T. Mather Memorial
Hospital. They put him on Worker's Compensation and paid
for his medical bills, Grau stated, but for my son, it
was a traumatic experience. Grau also claims the owner
at the time did not require employees to wear required
safety gear. Safety glasses were never issued and they
told workers they could wear sun glasses, she said.
Range owner Charlie Marino, who was manager of the range
at the time of Grau's accident, denounced Grau's claims
of not following safety guidelines. I don't know what
the previous owner's policies involving safety glasses
were, but I require all pullers, trappers and employees
to wear any and all required safety equipment, Marino
said, and for those who have refused to wear them, I
have fired them on the spot. I understand that the
employee was not wearing safety glasses at the time.
Marino underscored that his employees receive proper
training. All my employees receive instruction by
NRA-certified instructors, he said.
Marino also reported that when he took ownership of the
range, he had the tower removed. Marino said his first
order of business when reporting accidents is to call
police. Since I took over in January 1996 there have
been no injuries, Marino said. While Grau wants the
range shut down, Marino says that is not happening. I
feel the range is at risk for personal safety as well as
environmental issues because of lead (released) from the
bullets into the air, Grau explained. From a quality of
life standpoint, Grau claims she can hear shots being
fired from the range, which is about two miles from her
residence. We live one block off the expressway, and can
hear the shooting clearly over the traffic, she said.
In response, Marino told Suffolk Life: We have an
excellent safety record, and we're not closing the range
down at all.
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