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Fri Aug 3 14:27:48 BST 2007

I agree.  I think the Alert Network (AKA Dr. Mattox) has proven itself a
worthy and hard-working source of information; but I think it's time to
stand down and await the after action reports from the local emergency
management people.  

Interestingly, the web sites for local Homeland Security and Department
of Emergency Management appear largely inert.  I had to go looking for
the Public Safety web site to get any organized update - which is really
quite readable and informative:

http://www.dps.state.mn.us/

...

As for news coverage, this tragedy is only the most recent example of
the utter failure of western media: 1% facts, 49% interviews with
stunned victims and twice-removed witnesses (sometimes heartbreaking but
typically vapid utterly insubstantial), and 50% semi-inexpert analysis
from every conceivable aspect (e.g., "The Orphaned Pets of 9/11") which
inevitably degenerates even from there as the politicians begin to
fictionalize relevant history to say either I told you so (when they
didn't) or it's not my fault (when it probably is).

I was recently helping out with our mobile simulator lab in Rockport
(Maine) - an endlessly cool faux ED-in-an-RV, complete with robotic
patients who can be programmed with various illnesses (they speak, they
blink, they cry, they pee...) and can physiologically respond to
ventilatory management and IV fluids and drugs.  It is so interesting,
in fact, and is making such an impact on caregiver training, that a
prominent TV news organization was scheduled to cover it as a feature
story that day.

As it happens, however, the Chief Justice of the United States had
suffered an altogether unremarkable seizure the day before, and was
being restfully observed at the hospital where the simulator was parked.
The television producer politely and apologetically explained that the
crew assigned to our simulator had been re-tasked to the front door so
as to sit patiently and wait for the breaking non-news of His Honor's
cheerful discharge.  A living monument to wasted production capacity.

Fox News covers the Justice Roberts crisis and the Michael Vick crisis
and the most recent Lindsay Lohan crisis and the Minneapolis Bridge
Terror Attack (well, they only maintained that it MIGHT have been a
terror attack for several hours after local officials ruled it out), and
every other news agency scrambles to parallel and imitate Fox, because
that's where the ratings are.

My country is dying of distraction.

Pret Bjorn, RN

Bangor, ME USA

-----Original Message-----
From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org
[mailto:trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Hammond
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2007 12:15 AM
To: Trauma &amp; Critical Care mailing list
Cc: eric.frykberg at Jax.ufl.edu; trauma-list at trauma.org; Redstart at aol.com;
ccm-l at ccm-l.com
Subject: Re: 2007 hrs report

Maybe they don't need help. Maybe they're busy.

As best I can tell from the news channels, there were about 50 victims
distributed to at least 3 hospitals. That qualifies as a mass casualty
incident but certainly not an overwhelming disaster. I would hope that a
major metropolitan area has drilled for such an event. 

How would "the outside trauma community" react w/o a pre-exisitng plan?

Jeffrey Hammond MD, MPH

----- Original Message -----

From: KMATTOX at aol.com 

Date: Wednesday, August 1, 2007 9:08 pm 

Subject: 2007 hrs report 

> It is now 2 hours since the bridge fell. We have confirmation 
> of 3 dead 
> and one unconfirmed word of 7 dead. We all know of 3-5 major 
> hospitals which 
> can serve as trauma centers in the area. AT this POINT, despite 
> reporters 
> everywhere, thereis NO report from the hospitals. I have 
> searched the 
> blogs, CNN, FOX, TV and their web sites. It is interesting to 
> me that there is 
> so little data for us the outside trauma community to react to 
> should we wish 
> to form a 100 mile perimeter of assistance. 
> 
> k 
> 
> 
> 
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2007 hrs report