Safe to swim in nuclear spent fuel pool?

But just to be sure, I got in touch with a friend of mine who works at a research reactor, and asked him what he thought would happen to you if you tried to swim in their radiation containment pool.

“In our reactor?” He thought about it for a moment. “You’d die pretty quickly, before reaching the water, from gunshot wounds.”

Shot for your own safety. Classic.

> Shot for your own safety

Spent fuel can be used in dirty bombs etc not to mention that an unauthorized person handling radioactive material is a danger to those running the reactor, and anyone coming into contact with the subject. Those are ample grounds for the use of deadly force to preserve security.

IIRC that's why the (Police?) who guard UK nuclear reactors are one of the few police forces in the UK who are always armed.

You are indeed correct, they are called the Civil Nuclear Constabulary:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Nuclear_Constabulary

Nuclear is amazingly safe compared to other options. Pollution from fossil fuels kills millions a year, but only a few dozen have ever died from nuclear power worldwide.

If you touch the rods you will look like Spock on Star Trek II's finale.