| Last night's tragic collapse of 500 feet of road | | | | (rescue and body recovery) to exceed the |
| deck crossing the Mississippi river in Minneapolis, | | | | resources available (daylight). So, despite the fact |
| Minnesota at rush hour is yet another example of | | | | that there were more than enough rescuers and |
| the fact that "All Hazards" includes more than just | | | | equipment, despite the fact that healthcare in |
| the natural disasters of hurricanes, earthquakes, | | | | Hennepin County was truly "All Hazards" prepared, |
| floods, and tornadoes and it goes far beyond the | | | | unlike 95% of the nation, the tragedy did finally |
| manmade disaster of terrorism. With night falling | | | | rise to the level of disaster (needs exceeded |
| and bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic, the | | | | resources). |
| bridge gave only a momentary creak as warning | | | | As daylight now breaks on Minneapolis the |
| before suffering structural failure and sending | | | | rescuers are returning to help survivors and |
| more than 50 cars into the murky waters of the | | | | reclaim the dead from the river, returning them |
| muddy Mississippi. | | | | to their families. The nation should look to |
| But Hennepin County, Minnesota, the metropolitan | | | | Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota, not |
| area that encompasses Minneapolis, is unlike most | | | | only with a soft shoulder of sympathy for those |
| in the nation. Hennepin County has a multihospital | | | | lost and those who have lost their loved ones, but |
| compact for dealing with "All Hazards" disasters. | | | | with a mind to learn how they dealt so well, so |
| While reports and even the governor of the state | | | | heroically with this instantaneous tragedy and |
| have used the word "catastrophe" which in | | | | maybe even a green eye of jealousy for the fact |
| disaster par lets means "loss of the ability to | | | | that they are "All Hazards" prepared even beyond |
| respond." Hennepin County led by Hennepin | | | | their imagining. |
| County Medical Center and joined by the other | | | | In the words of a native Minnesotan and |
| hospitals of the compact however dealt with this | | | | internationally acclaimed disaster preparedness |
| tragedy handily. | | | | guru, James G. Schultz, PhD.: |
| Unfortunately, a setting sun and the speed of the | | | | "Kudos to you Hennepin County and Thank You |
| water added to the submerged hazards created | | | | for all you do! |
| by the bridge structure itself did cause the needs | | | | |