This is RTS for Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2006
A THOUGHT: A reader looking ahead to the fifth anniversary of
the Sept. 11, 2001, attack passes along some ideas worth
pondering.
He or she writes, “Although it’s almost five years, it was just
last week our nation was on alert again. I know Bradford is just
another microcosm in this vast world but it, too, was affected by
what happened that morning of 9/11.”
“Before the military will reach Bradford, who will respond? Your
fire and police departments.”
“I would like to think that the initials BFD actually stand for
the Bravest and Finest Departments. I don’t know if anything is
planned for 9/11 in Bradford but something should be. A repeat of
theðarea-wide unitarian gathering that the fire department held in
2001 would even be great.”
Our writer goes on, “How about making plans on taking your
family to the next volunteer fire department function. You may not
live there but your respect and support for those in your
neighboring community will go a long way when they have to respond
to a call instead of going out the door with their family.”
“Remember when an alarm is called it’s always answered …
sometimes with a life.”
Our writer cited an RTS in which a reader commenting on the
local oil museum, noting “sometimes we take for granted an unusual
offering in our own backyard.”
Also in that “take for granted” category are the emergency
responders – police or firefighters – who offer the first line of
protection in virtually all disasters.
Just think about the recent disaster in southern McKean County
when a train derailed and spilled 44,000 gallons of highly
concentrated liquid sodium hydroxide onto the ground and into the
stream. Would you have wanted to be the first person at the
scene?
AND ALSO: Ted Koppel, a National Public Radio commentator, spoke
recently about the absolute ignorance of most Americans about how
to respond to a terror attack, natural disaster, pandemic disease,
nuclear war.
Older readers can remember going to air raid shelters, and Baby
Boomers had alerts where they would dive under their school desks.
No doubt, some efforts at preparedness would be unproductive at
best – but at least people were thinking and conducting drills in
recognition of the reality of the post-nuclear age.
Would you know what to do in the event of a disaster? We would
not.
