As I write this, Boston and its suburbs are getting back to normal after the Boston Marathon bombing. My prayers go out to the families of those killed and wounded in the bombing and its aftermath.
Thinking back to the day of the bombing (and it seems like forever ago) television talking heads were speculating on the nature of the bombs. Eventually they mentioned Najibullah Zazi, who was arrested in 2009 and later pleaded guilty to charges connected with a planned bombing of the New York City subway system.
Zazi bought large quantities of hydrogen peroxide and acetone from beauty supply stores in the Denver area. These components can be used to make explosives. I recently wrote in Pool & Spa News about an FBI effort to reach out to pool supply retailers and service technicians to watch for people who might be buying such chemicals but can’t explain why they need them.
Early reports don’t connect the Boston bombs with hydrogen peroxide sales. However, the tragedy is a reminder that we should all keep our eyes open. If you hear of someone who’s not in the business wanting to buy pool chemicals, you might consider turning that information over to authorities. Also, try to keep chemicals secure as possible, allowing for the fact that most pool techs carry chemicals in the open bed of a pickup truck.
The bottom line—be careful out there.
