Public Safety Signals

Joy Spicer Says:

Have there been any comparative studies on what other places have done post-bridge collapse? I know it happened in Topeka, Kansas (I’ll have to look up the date) years ago. They rebuilt the bridge in a different location, but it may have been because of the safety issues that caused the first collapse. They still call it the Kansas Street Bridge even though it connects Kansas St. and Monroe. I know several people were never identified but their occupied car was seen going under. I’ll see if I can find the info. Joy

August 16th, 2007 at 9:27 am

Michael M. Brown Says:

The incident which occurred in Minnesaota is indeed a tragic incident, however, the knee jerk reaction of buliding memorials may be premature. The projections point towards an increase in the future for incidents such as these both natural and unnatural. Whereas, the events that unfolded during 9/11 were unique and few could dispute warranted special recoginiton from the country collectively because it brought about a “new normal”, and 9/12 (Greene et al. 2006)for all Americans, isolated tragedies how unfortunate and sad should automatically bring about a wellspring of memorials for several reasons of which the most important is limited physical, and mental resources for those incidents yet to come.

August 16th, 2007 at 1:16 pm

Joe Pascarella Says:

Joyce,

Thanks for the information. Keeping the same name probably does have a psychological value.

Joe Pascarella

August 18th, 2007 at 7:16 am

Joe Pascarella Says:

Michael,

Good point. Do you think we need a “new normal” regarding bridge safety and maintenance?

Joe Pascarella

August 18th, 2007 at 7:17 am

Charles Tiffin Says:

The process of recovery is especially difficult for the Capella community; in that we just learned that one of our own, Scott Sathers, is among the victims of this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers continue with the family and Scott’s work team.

August 20th, 2007 at 1:23 pm

Michael Brown Says:

No sir. We need accountability of office. Those who we elect to serve must ensure such needs as adequate roads, water, and public safety, etc. are provided efficienty or else.

August 22nd, 2007 at 9:20 pm

Joy Spicer Says:

Michael, I don’t think “the knee jerk reaction of buliding [sic] memorials may be premature”. Have you ever seen a tree or fence in a city that is covered with flowers, stuffed animals, card and pictures in plastic wrap? I have seen many of these memorials “built” impromptu by those who lost a loved one to random violence and added to by those touched by the loss of one of their own community members. I think it is a perfect and proper reaction to a tragedy.

Everytime I pass a worn out cross with faded flowers tucked on and around it on the side of the road, I think about the family, friends, and loved ones of the person that is memorilized there- the person that lost their life on the side of the road at that spot. I say a prayer for those who will always be in mourning in one way or another and I count my own personal blessings that I have not had to personally experience that. It also makes me drive just a little bit more carefully. In that sense, the worn out cross and faded flowers become much more than just a drain on “limited physical, and mental resources for those incidents yet to come” but it becomes an honrarium to the person who passed and a reminder to avoid those incidents yet to come.

Perhaps growing up in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area where one is surrounded by memorials, large ones, small ones, ones in every circle, ones in every neighborhood- constant reminders of tragedies and heroes, sadness and hopefulness- that one does not experience it as taking a toll on physical and mental resources but as helping one to always remember lest we are forced to repeat.

I personally have left an artifact or two at the Wall and ran my fingers over the countless names engraved there. I personally have wept openly in front of the pictures and names in the Holocaust Memorial. I personally have had trouble swallowing at the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I personally have stood in awe and reverence as I watched the eternal flame flicker at Kennedy’s grave. I personally donate money to the Martin Luther King Memorial Fund so the first person of color will be memorialized in our Nation’s Capital. I personally stop at memorial signposts on the sides of highways and back roads that tell a story of times past. I personally say a prayer when I pass a small cross on the side of the road or see a teddy bear wrapped with ribbons on a tree. I personally wear a pink ribbon lapel pin to remember the cause of breast cancer. I personally keep a picture on my kitchen counter where I have to see it everyday. It is of my mother who passed away a year and a half ago- my own little memorial, so to speak.

I think memorials, in whatever form they appear, are very appropriate for both those personally involved in an incident as well as those personally affected by an incident. They help with the collective healing and when everything is out of control, a memorial helps to give control back to at least one thing.

August 24th, 2007 at 11:20 pm

Joy Spicer Says:

The bridge collapse in Topeka, Kansas occured in 1965. Turns out that the police did have a disaster safety plan in place:

“Dana Hummer, police chief from 1963 to 1973, said when he heard the bridge had collapsed his concerns were helping any victims in the river and protecting his officers. My thought was, ‘How many people are in there, and how do we get them out without losing officers’ lives?’ Hummer said. ‘But we were very fortunate. We had plans to prepare for disasters and put that into place’”. (Mendoza, 2001)

One police officer who was on the scene during the collapse said there was only the one car that went into the water, but several witnesses said there was another car that went into the river and was washed away. The car had up to four people in it, according to various witnesses.

After that collapse, after the recent I35W Minneapolis bridge collapse, and after every bridge collapse, it seems, the public is reminded that bridge safety needs to be a concern. Post-incident is a good time to go after funding for repairs and replacement. The squeeky wheel get the oil…

Reference
Mendoza, J. R. (2001, July 1). Bridge collapse in ‘65 ‘terrifying’: One man killed in incident that has shaken former Topeka police officer for years. The Topeka Capital Journal Online . Retrieved August 25, 2007 from http://cjonline.com/stories/070200/com_collapse.shtml

August 24th, 2007 at 11:55 pm

Michael Brown Says:

Joy, leaving momentos is healing, and seeing the evidence that others care by their leaving such caring items is even more strengthening of the human desire to care, and love others, but BUILDING memorials, e.g., long lasting large structures may prove to be premature with this countries future this cohort sees too many memorials being built.

We need to prevent such tragedies, that is the greatest memorial and not to the dead but our children and the living.

August 28th, 2007 at 7:20 pm